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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25560214">Fair Winds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zimithrus1/pseuds/Zimithrus1'>Zimithrus1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Can I Get a sliceofclack? [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Pirate, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Childhood Friends, Cloud's got some ptsd, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, I cheesily edit some cannon lines, M/M, POV Alternating, Past Abuse, Past Torture, Pirate!Zack, Pirates, Promises, Rating May Change, Sailing, Swordfighting, and i do not regret it, probably some language</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:09:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25560214</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zimithrus1/pseuds/Zimithrus1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zack made a promise. </p><p>Many, many moons ago with his best friend, they swore that together they would escape their imprisonment aboard the Shinra family's naval ship and become the fiercest of pirates and sail all the seven seas of Gaia.<br/>Though that promise got postponed when he was liberated from that life, while his best friend was left behind.</p><p>But now that he's a Captain aboard the Honor's Keep - he can fulfill that promise (and claim the Azure Angel while he's at it.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Zack Fair/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Can I Get a sliceofclack? [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808548</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>102</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>152</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Starboard Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've been having a rough time trying to come up with the right summary and tags for this thing 😅 But I hope they did enough justice to get you intrigued! 😉 This is the week for the sliceofclack prompts I've been the most excited for! Here's hoping it turns out the way I hope it does! 😄🎉</p><p>With that said - happy reading! 📚</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Sneaking out in the dead of night is risky enough on land. But to do it aboard a strict naval ship commandeered by Shin-Ra</em> <em>－</em> <em>the richest royal family in all the seven seas</em> <em>－</em> <em> is practically signing a death certificate.</em></p><p><em>But no matter the risk, consequence, or outcome, </em> <em>h</em>e<em>’s not turning back now. No way. If he doesn’t do this, then he won’t get to see him</em> <em>－</em></p><p>
  <em>His best and only friend aboard this Hellship.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A young boy caught in between ten and fifteen slowly ascends the splintered wooden ladder in order to quietly sneak out of the crew’s quarters, pausing and clenching the breaths in his chest at each squeak and squeal. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>If the other crew-mates discover his escape, well… they were never known for having one another’s back. There’s no room for compassion aboard The God’s Silk; survival is all that matters.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He turns his head back around as he steps onto the last rung of the ladder, and black, disheveled hair messily frames his tanned, dirty face. The moonlight washing in from above coats his electric blue eyes with the luminescence of the clear night sky and they shimmer faintly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It seems as though he hasn’t woken up any of his fellow crew-mates. Good.</em>
</p><p><em>He hops up off the ladder and to the solid wooden planks of the berth, taking care not to let those planks groan under his weight. (Not that it mattered, most of the powder monkeys like himself often went underfed.) </em> <em>With careful steps, he makes his way across the berth, heading towards the stairs to take him to the main deck, where he knew his best friend would be waiting.</em></p><p>
  <em>They always tried to meet on the main deck after hours when all the other crew had gone to sleep. (Except for the Sailing Master, but they just stood out of his sight.) It was the only part of the day (technically night), they even looked forward to.</em>
</p><p><em>Especially noting that his best friend isn’t a powder monkey like himself</em> <em>－</em> <em>he’s a cabin boy.</em></p><p>
  <em>To be a cabin boy on The God’s Silk? Even more deadly than sneaking out at night, so it seems. His best friend’s always covered in small cuts and bruises and the higher crew treat him worse than his fellow powder monkeys.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He shakes his head and holds back the sigh threatening to give away his position. He can’t let his thoughts cause him any distraction. One wrong move and he’ll be thrown into the brig for sure!</em>
</p><p><em>He regains his focus and continues on with carefully placed steps. Even though he’s done this time and time again, he can never be too careful. One sound plank today might squeak on the morrow and give him away. </em> <em>But he reaches those steps with nary a sound, and he’s just as silent as he ascends those too. Opening the door to lead to the main deck always ends up being a little squealy, but he knows just where to hold the door when he opens it so it still remains as quiet as possible. </em> <em>The squeak is faint, but where he holds his hands against the red wood mutes the sound and he’s able to close it in the same mousy fashion he opened it.</em></p><p>
  <em>Here, the cool, clear night air greets his form and blows about him, ruffling his matted hair and shifting the loose rags slouching over his body. He turns his wild blue eyes up towards the open sky and sighs. If only he could be as bright and untamed as the stars in the sky; never ordered to shine and doing it with a willful twinkle.</em>
</p><p><em>But when he lowers his eyes back to the prison</em> <em>－</em> <em>err, ship</em> <em>－</em> <em>he has the dishonor of calling home, he spies the lanky, smaller form of his best and only friend.</em></p><p><em>He’s standing near the back quarterdeck, close to the rails that keep them from falling overboard and he’s gazing out at the calm sea they sail in. The breeze blows about his ratted, dirty-blond (almost light brown) hair, but the spiky locks barely even move. </em> <em>The rags covering his lanky form are about as loose and frayed as the one’s he’s wearing too and even from the distance he stands, he can still see the dirt and never-healing bruises splashed across his pale, near sickly looking skin. (Probably the scurvy causing that.)</em></p><p>
  <em>He glances over his shoulder to see if he’s out of the Sailing Master’s sight. If he catches them out on the deck when they should be sleeping, then that’s cause for three lashings and a full twenty-four hours in the brig. Thankfully, he and his best friend are out of his sights. In fact he can’t even see the ship’s steering wheel from his current position.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So he resumes careful motion, still treating each plank as something that could rat him out. He’s more than halfway across the deck to reach his friend before one plank he thought was safe creaks loud under his weight and he freezes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His best friend’s head immediately glances up and whips around to the source of the sound with wide, bloodshot eyes. But when he sees it’s just him, the fright leaves his eyes and a smile traces his cracked lips.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hey.” His friend quietly greets.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hey.” He responds back, matching the smile he’s being given. (He’s just glad the sound didn’t alert the Sailing Master.)</em>
</p><p><em>He continues his advance until he stands right next to his best friend on the deck, leaning against the rails and staring out at the sparkling sea. </em> <em>"...Your face looks better.” He mentions as he keeps his eyes glued to the sea. He even leans his face over his crossed arms on the rails.</em></p><p>
  <em>“Huh?” He can feel his friend’s eyes on him, but he keeps his gaze towards the sea.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Your eye isn’t black anymore.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, yeah?” A nervous laugh follows. “Sorry, I haven’t gotten to look at a mirror lately.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, same here.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He hears wood creak and in his peripheral vision, he sees thin arms splay over the rails and soon a thin face rests against them. They often do this when they have the chance. They don’t get to sneak out every night, even if they’d like to. They pretty much only can when the higher crew is in a good mood after a big bust: they celebrate and lower their scrutinizing eyes and drown themselves in the finest liquor.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Zack…” He hears his best friend practically sigh out his name. “…D’you think we’ll ever get rescued?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“...I’d like to hope so, Cloud.” He says back with a sigh that matches. “…What I’d give to get off this prison.” He stretches out an arm towards the endless ocean and clenches a fist. “To sail the seas with freedom as my guide, where I take orders from none and live for me.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah…” Cloud sighs and copies his motions too. “A free life sounds nice… a life we choose for ourselves, where we decide what path to take and who to be beside.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zack finally breaks his eyes away from the ocean and towards Cloud. His best friend beams a smile that rivals the warmth on a midday summer. “At least, I know I’d like to stick by your side in that future.”</em>
</p><p><em>He radiates the same kind of smile back. “Yeah. It wouldn’t be the same without you there.” Then he pulls away from the rails and wraps one arm around his best friend’s small shoulder. </em> <em><br/></em> <em>“Pirates, Cloud. That’s what you and me are gonna be.” He grins even brighter.</em></p><p>
  <em>“Yeah! We’ll escape together, and roam the seas as the fiercest duo that ever sailed the Gaian Seas!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Cloud holds out his other hand and extends his pinkie. Then he smiles so wide Zack can see the gaps in his teeth from having lost some more baby teeth than last he saw. (After all, he’s still a little more than a year older than him.)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But he holds out his hand and extends his pinkie finger, and they wrap those fingers together and firmly shake their hands. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>They both giggle quietly, beaming at their new promise made in moonlight.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Captain Fair! Captain Fair!”</p><p>Zack spins on his heel as his wild blue eyes catch the sight of his First Mate barreling down the main deck in rather the swift hurry. He maneuvers around some of the other crew members with astounding precision for someone who has a bandanna covering his head and eyes all the time.</p><p>He hurries up the steps to reach the helm where he currently stands next to his Sailing Master. “Captain Fair, Pilot Highwind, pardon my intrusion, but the Barrelman has given me very important news!”</p><p>“What’s the news, Kunsel?” He asks with a grin.</p><p>“We’ve just spotted The God’s Silk about three leagues out due north! We’re downwind and with our position we’ll be passing by them from behind!”</p><p>“The God’s Silk? You’re sure?” His tone sharpens as his breath hitches in his chest.</p><p>“I swear it!” Kunsel responds with an eager nod. “Should we follow your previous orders regarding this situation?”</p><p>A determined look settles over his face and he tips his tricorn black hat down. “Get the crew ready for a raid.”</p><p>“Aye, sir!” Kunsel tears down the steps, shouting aloud for the crew to stop everything and get in their proper positions.</p><p>Zack turns on his heel again and stares hard due north, beyond the thick haze of low clouds hanging over the ocean.</p><p>“Captain Fair, y’think we’re ready to take them Shinra  bastards on again? I mean, last time we tried they－”</p><p>“I appreciate the concern, Pilot Highwind, but this time won’t be like last.”</p><p>“How so? We barely made it off their ship in once piece last time!”</p><p>“Last time was strictly reconnaissance in order to find out if they still possessed the greatest treasure known to these seas.”</p><p>“That one you talk about? The uh- uh- the Azure Angel? With that blue glow? You actually find it?”</p><p>“I didn’t find it, no.” Zack shakes his head, but then turns and smiles slyly at his Sailing Master. “But I found where they’re <em>hiding </em>it now.”</p><p>He turns his eyes back toward the clouded sea and furrows his brow. He’d stop at nothing to pilfer the most valuable treasure still kept aboard The God’s Silk－The Azure Angel; known for its captivating, fiery blue glow. He’s been after it since he first laid eyes on it.</p><p>Now that he’s a free man roaming the seas with years of experience in the ways of pillaging and plundering, he knows he can finally take it for himself.</p><p>“So if we find this thing, and succeed in gettin’ it… what then?”</p><p>Zack smiles. “Then we celebrate~!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Perfect Conditions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The wind, the clouds, the odds? Everything's lined up perfectly.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Heyo all! Here's chapter two! (Unfortunately wayy shorter than I wanted it to be, but I'm already cutting it kinda close!) I'm trying my best with this one but it's been real tough trying to stay focused lately. (As per last fic entry, I had a not very nice thing happen to me and it's still bothering the crap out of meee 🎶)</p><p>So, I'm really trying my best~! And I also wanna say a biiiig thank you to everyone who's been real excited to see where this goes and for sharing that excitement with me! 💗</p><p>Though just a fair warning, I might not post a chapter tomorrow - I haven't written it out yet and my day is looking pretty booked! 😰 But I hope late is better than never!</p><p>Well, enough rambling! Happy reading! 📚</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>From beyond the faint haze of the low hanging clouds, Zack can see the back of The God’s Silk coming into view. They’re approaching from the back just like the Barrelman relayed.</p><p>It’s too perfect.</p><p>Shinra’s naval ship has been reported out at sea for moons now, so he knows they’re running low on supplies, morale, and manpower. With the cover of the clouds, being downwind, and with his own crew ready and raring to go, he’s got a good feeling about this.</p><p>It’s as if fate itself is on his side.</p><p>When they get close enough his crew will get the jump on them, taking them by surprise and have them scrambling like chickens before the slaughter. And while his crew covers most of the fighting, it leaves him with enough time to get where they’re holding the Azure Angel and snatch it. It’s a foolproof plan through and through.</p><p>They’re fully stocked on ammo and equipment and their blades and wits are sharp even if they’ve spent a moon or two on the waters.</p><p>Zack adjusts the hat on his head and takes a deep, steadying breath. He’s waited a long time for an opportunity like this－a chance to actually obtain what he’s been seeking for what feels like eons now.</p><p>All the other times they didn’t have the right manpower, the right supplies, the right timing, the right information. Nothing had been right until their last raid on The God’s Silk two winters ago.</p><p>But now, everything has lined up right.</p><p>He narrows his eyes and furrows his brow. He’s <em>getting</em> the Azure Angel, no matter what.</p><p>“Captain Fair!” A voice rings.</p><p>He turns his eyes away from the sea and towards the deck with a soft hum. Currently making his way up the stairs comes his cabin boy. (Treated with the utmost respect, unlike how Shinra treated his best friend during their childhood.) He steps up to the helm and adjusts the small monocle on his left eye before scurrying his way over.</p><p>“I’ve gone over the battle preparations and double checked our cannon ammunition just as you requested.” He says with a polite tone.</p><p>“Much obliged, Chadley.” Zack acknowledges with a nod. “So, what do you think our odds of pulling off this heist successfully are?”</p><p>He knows how analytical and smart his cabin boy is, and often knows how accurate his calculations can be. He’s lucky to have gotten such a well-mannered and helpful cabin boy. (Well, he didn’t <em>get</em> him per say, he kinda, <em>might’ve</em> stolen him from crashing a slave trade a few years back? <em>Moving on</em>.)</p><p>Chadley makes a hum of his own and his brow very faintly furrows in thought. “According to my calculations, I’d say our chance of a successful plunder is about eighty percent－if not higher, Captain.”</p><p>Zack gives him a devilish smirk. “You know just what I like to hear!”</p><p>His nearly white-haired cabin boy gives him a matching smirk. “Even I know it’s not wise to rile the temper of Captain Fair－the Yippiest Seadog of the Seven Seas.”</p><p>Zack makes a strangled noise and points at him. “Is- is <em>that</em> what people call me?”</p><p>“That’s what I’ve heard the locals say when we port the Honor’s Keep.”</p><p>“Oi vey, when will they get it into their heads that I’m <em>fierce!</em> I’m not <em>yippy.</em>”</p><p>“I’ve overheard the other Captains at port say that anyone who attempts to raid The God’s Silk over and over again without much success isn’t fierce, but bullheaded.”</p><p>“<em>Peh!</em> What do <em>they</em> know?”</p><p>
  <em>“Captain Fair! We’re almost in position to storm The God’s Silk!”</em>
</p><p>Zack glances over and sees his First Mate Kunsel waving him down by the starboard side of the ship. A few of his other crew members stand nearby with weapons ready and wild smirks on their faces, (even from this distance he sees that). Even the on-deck cannons are loaded and ready to go.</p><p>“Alright you scalawags! Get ready for a high stakes plunder!”</p><p>Cheers resonate across the Honor’s Keep as weapons rise into the air.</p><p>Zack smirks and turns that wild expression back to his cabin boy. “I’ll show ‘em how fierce I really am, just you wait.” He winks.</p><p>“I have no doubts about that, Captain.” Chadley returns the smirk.</p><p>He turns his eyes back to the sea as the hazy form of The God’s Silk slowly comes into view from beyond the low clouds.</p><p> </p><p>He’s <em>going</em> to get the Azure Angel, no matter what.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah, a quick, easy read. Again, I'm already cutting it close and I don't have enough energy to make it any longer 😓 But, I hope you enjoyed it regardless~ And whenever the next chapter does churn out of my brain, it'll be a good one! 🎉</p><p>See you hopefully soon~!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Commense</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Let the Battles Begin! (See what I did there? Ehhh?? 😏😏)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ooookayy writing out this raid took waaaaayy longer than I thought it would! So much so I spent four days off and on writing in this thing and yeesh! I had to break it up into digestible chunks in the end! 😅</p><p>So sorry about the wait! I'm finally getting my shit back together after that little break and It's a bit tough getting back in the swing so to speak.</p><p>📝AND A QUICK NOTE KAY~?📝I took away the 6 chapter limit because to be honest, I can't fit everything I want to fit into this story in /just/ six chapters! I'm not sure how long it's going to be, but long enough to write out the scenes I want at least 😆</p><p>Anyhow! Happy reading you all - hope it was worth the wait~! 📚</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Honor’s Keep rocks with the waves now starting to grow more choppy. The waves created by the massive ship of the Shinra family lap against the small stretch of sea before breaking against their sides. The low hanging clouds still shelter them with the perfect cover and they aren’t even aware of how close they actually are. Just a bit more due north and they’ll be able to storm the ship with ease.</p><p>Zack stands tall at the crow’s nest, loose rope in hand and a tight smirk on his face. The breeze blows wild high above the deck and the purple feather on his tricorn hat flutters wildly. He’s always wanted to swing down onto The God’s Silk from up here－really make a dramatic entrance and startle the hell out of them.</p><p>“You sure you wanna go in guns blazing like this, Captain?” The timid voice of his Barrelman asks. “It just doesn’t seem like a very practical way to－”</p><p>“I know it’s not practical, Luxiere, but it’s <em>stylish!”</em> Zack’s smirk turns as wild as the wind blowing.</p><p>Luxiere shakes his head but he can’t stop the smile that spreads across his face. “Who am I to argue with that?” He agrees.</p><p>They both turn their heads back towards the sea and the outline of The God’s Silk is clear. Just like his Barrelman said, they’ve approached from behind. He can see the gaudy off-red and sun-bleached gold colors of their mast and flags and it only brings back bad memories for him.</p><p>But that’s okay－because he’s here to rip those memories apart, take the Shinra family down a peg or two, and claim the Azure Angel. He turns his smirk into a determined scowl and grips the rope in his hands tighter.</p><p>Once they sail by close enough, he’ll make his move and then his crew will follow.</p><p>He’ll start by swinging onto the quarter deck and slicing at anyone that happens to be on it while half of his crew fires the cannons and the other half hops onto the ship with weapons out along with him. Then while his crew distracts any other officers and sailors, he’ll make his way down to the berth and search all living quarters he can, just to make sure they turn up empty. And if they do he’ll take his search straight to the orlop.</p><p>He <em>knows</em> they’re still in possession of the Azure Angel－he found a hidden room in the orlop during last raid on The God’s Silk. And he didn’t find the Angel anywhere else even after questioning the highest ranking officials. (And by questioning he means grabbing them and threatening to throw them overboard.)</p><p>And now, the Honor’s Keep sails close…</p><p>closer…</p><p>closer…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Now.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>With an energetic cry, Zack leaps from the crow’s nest and swings down towards the Shinra family ship. And once his crew sees him swing by, they let out fierce cries that match his energy and begin to jump on over. He flies through the air with narrowed eyes. He’s been waiting for this for far too long. He’s got to be on his toes to pull this off, even <em>if</em> Chadley’s calculations gave them a high probability of success.</p><p>He can’t risk letting the Angel slip through his fingers again.</p><p>Once he spies a good spot to land, Zack lets go of the rope and plummets down to the quarterdeck, tucking and rolling to absorb the shock.</p><p>“W-Who goes??” A startled voice immediately gasps.</p><p>Once he rolls up to his feet and unsheathes his trusty broadsword, his eyes connect with a mid-tier officer with his rapier drawn and pointed directly at him.</p><p>But this doesn’t scare or deter him in the slightest. In fact, a cocky smirk stretches across his face. “Ahoy! Remember me you son’s’a bitches? Captain of The Honor’s Keep, Zack Fair! Pleased to meet your acquaintance!”</p><p>“Fair…?” A look of angry surprise crosses his aged face. “You bilge-sucking swab! You’re the ratty pirate who raided our ship!”</p><p>They start to circle one another, waiting for the opportune moment to strike with blades held at the hips and eyes narrowed and locked. Their steps squeal against the wooden planks and it reminds him of how they used to squeak when he was but a lad.</p><p>But his smirk grows bigger. “The one and only~! But I prefer to be called ‘The Scourge of the Seven Seas’, if you don’t mind.” He winks.</p><p>“Scourge?” The officer dares to laugh. “You are no Scourge. You’re a yappy seadog begging to be fed to the fishes!”</p><p>“Oh, believe me, the family you serve already made sure I was fish food years ago－too bad they didn’t like how I tasted.”</p><p>“You speak as if this is not your second time on this ship.”</p><p>They still circle one another, even as his crew starts going wild on any other officer or sailor they see. Swords clash, metal clinks, hollers fill the air and gunpowder tints every breath. But he’s not in any hurry. If he rushes this job the Azure Angel could slip through his fingers.</p><p>“Don’t tell me you forgot?” Zack shakes his head and puts on a mask of disappointment. “You’re obviously crusty enough to remember a decade ago, so why don’t you take a <em>good</em> look at me and tell me if I look familiar?”</p><p>He actually stops circling and holds out his arms, shifting his weight to the right and keeping his smirk as bright and annoying as he possibly can.</p><p>He’s actually surprised the crusty officer stops circling as well and looks him over. A costly move.</p><p>Zack does not hesitate. Once the officer lowers his guard and stops circling, he raises his broadsword up with one hand and charges. The officer lets out a yelp and stumbles back, falling right onto his rear with enough force to send his backside through the old planks and get him stuck.</p><p>He beams a victorious grin and lowers his sword. “<em>Never</em> let a former slave boy get the upper-hand, because they don’t play fair.”</p><p>Just as he gives the officer a pleasant parting smile and turns on his heel to walk away, the old geezer makes a shocked noise of recollection and speaks up. “You! You’re that powder monkey boy we threw overboard!”</p><p>Zack glances behind him and winks at him with a peace sign held up to his face. “Too bad that didn’t kill me, huh?”</p><p>And he leaves the officer stuck in the deck and continues on. He can’t entertain the past all day. He’s here to claim something he should’ve claimed a long time ago.</p><p>He bounds down the stairs of the quarterdeck and onto the main deck. The scent of blood and gunpowder is strong here and Zack breathes it in like it’s an exotic scent only made by the finest Chandler.</p><p>He loves the smell of a raid in the morning.</p><p>A loud boom splits the air and the ship vibrates fiercely under his feet. He glances over to his right to see that his ship has just blown a nice cannonball-sized hole into the stern of The God’s Silk. Smoke and splinters spurt out of the hole and raucous shouting can be heard a little bit below deck. A couple more cannonballs and they’ll have raked the stern. And a good Captain knows to call for surrender once their stern’s been raked. He better pick up the pace if he wants to find the Angel and get away with it in the same day.</p><p>So he turns his saunter into a brisk walk and makes his way towards the innards of the ship. He’s got to get to the orlop and get into that secret room. If the Angel wasn’t in any other rooms during the last raid those two winters ago, then it <em>has</em> to be in that secret room.</p><p>But the biggest question is what <em>else</em> is in that secret room? The inner marauder in him gets gleeful and excited at just imagining what’s in there.</p><p>“Hey! Who’re you?” A rough voice yells at him.</p><p>Without a second thought, Zack raises up his broadsword with one hand and pokes the air in front of him. The tip of his blade snags the coat of another officer and breaks through the first few layers of skin. Seeing as how the officer isn’t going anywhere, he decides to give him the ‘eye for an eye’ treatment and uses his blade to toss him over the side and into the sea－just like how it had been done to him over a decade ago.</p><p>“Sorry! Don’t have time for you~!” Zack calls as he hears the frightful screams of the officer falling before smacking into the sea.</p><p>He’s grateful he has his crew with him. If not for them then he’d have to be fighting his way through the masses alone and that’d take <em>way </em>too long.</p><p>Another cannonball splits through the side of the ship and makes the whole thing tremble and vibrate fiercely. More voices intermingle with the soot and splintered wood, shouting how they’re taking too much head-on damage.</p><p>Yes, the fates must’ve aligned just right for them.</p><p>The door leading to the lower levels of the ship comes into Zack’s line of sight and the smirk on his face becomes a full-blown smile. He’s so close he can practically taste it. He spins around the fighting taking place on the deck, swinging his sword at those to dare to try and get too close or take him on.</p><p>But he stops dead in his tracks when he sees none other than Chadley－his cabin boy－aboard the God’s Silk with a small cutlass in his hands trying to fight off two low-class officers. He’s being overpowered by the two with his back against the rails and his monocle is cracked.</p><p>His smile turns into a frown and he books it over to where the skirmish is with the speed and sound of a crack of lightning. He turns his blade to the sharp side and cuts them across the back. Blood spurts and shines dim in the clouded morning light and the two officers go down with a cry of pain.</p><p>“O-Oh! Captain Fair! What a pleasant surprise to see you above deck! I deduced you’d be in the stronghold by now!” Chadley stammers as he tries to hide the cutlass behind his back. (It sticks out painfully, though.)</p><p>Zack just grabs the boy by the back of his sailor shirt and lifts him up into the air as though he was simply a kitten that misbehaved. (And also slaps the cutlass out of his hands too.) <br/>“What are you <em>doing</em> here, Chadley??” He snips.</p><p>“W-Well, I factored in some more equations right before the raid and I came to the conclusion that I could increase my knowledge of swordplay by seventy-five percent if I joined the plunder－”</p><p>“I gave you orders to <em>stay on The Honor’s Keep.”</em> Zack repeats sternly.</p><p>Another low-class officer starts to make his way toward them, but without looking or even turning his head, Zack simply throws his free arm back and with the dull part of his blade, blows it against the officer’s head and promptly knocks him out.</p><p>“Y-Yes Captain, but I figured with my additions to the fray I could increase our chances of－”</p><p>“You’re <em>so</em> lucky I don’t believe in throwing any of my crew in the brig or <em>so help me</em> that would be the <em>first</em> place you’d go after the raid!”</p><p>He ends up taking out another officer without looking (or trying) even as he still chides his cabin boy.</p><p>“My apologies, Captain Fair…” Chadley’s voice becomes soft spoken and now he doesn’t look him in the eye anymore. “…I just wanted to assist the raid. I wanted to feel like an actual sailor, I suppose…”</p><p>Zack sighs heavily and shakes his head. He has such a weak spot for kids and has the hardest time staying mad at them. Especially when they have the noble intentions of simply trying to better themselves or assist others in any way they can, (even if it means breaking the rules).</p><p>“Chadley, you’re a good lad. You don’t have to try and prove you’re an actual sailor or, whatever it is you feel the need to prove… what you do aboard the ship is important, even if it doesn’t feel like it,” He takes out another officer without looking and sighs again.<br/>“Look, what I’m trying to get at here is your job is important, and it’d really suck if we lost ya. I don’t think I’d be able to find a better cabin boy than you.”</p><p>Chadley’s eyes look back at him again though he still looks sad.</p><p>“How about sometime after this raid I teach you some basic sword techniques, eh? Broaden your range of skills some. That is, if you think you’re brave enough to spar with the Captain.”</p><p>The light in his cabin boy’s eyes come back and a smile finds its way to his face. “Absolutely, Captain Fair!”</p><p>He nods firmly. “Oh, and one more thing!” Zack adds, then drops the lighthearted tone and growls, “Don’t let me catch you on this ship again or I’ll send you to the Quartermaster and let him dole out a proper punishment for you.”</p><p>“Y-Yes, Captain.” Chadley nods quickly.</p><p>“Now get.” Zack says as he puts him back down on the deck. “And take that back to The Honor’s Keep.” He adds and points to the cutlass he smacked out of his hands earlier.</p><p>“Aye-Aye!” Chadley grabs hold of the blade again and takes off back to the ship he came from.</p><p>Zack shakes his head and exhales. “Oi vey, now I’ve lost some time. I better hurry.”</p><p>He wastes no more time and turns his brisk walk into a dash.</p><p>Now he’s really gotta book it into overdrive to get to the orlop before they either blow too many holes in The God’s Silk, or he ends up encountering the Captain of this grueling ship, (whichever comes first).</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, there's the first part of the raid all taken care of! Now to actually make some more progress yeah? 😉 I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please don't hesitate to let me know what you thought! (It's been a while since I've written a heat of the moment action scene 😄)</p><p>Happy to say I'll see you returning readers tomorrow~ 💚</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Salvation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zack comes to find that the Shinra family haven't changed their ways one bit.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wow, I remember when I said I'd have the next chapter ready tomorrow, like two days ago. 😓 My bad guys! No lies, completely forgot and had some bad days in between! 😖</p><p>But, here's the next part of the raid just a day or two later at least! Better late than never yeah? 😉</p><p>With that said, happy reading! 📚</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zack's able to get to the door that leads to the lower decks without any more distractions or confrontations. He still keeps his hand at the ready near his weapon though, (a Captain can never be too careful－especially during a pillage.)</p><p>Down here in the lower levels there’s not much going on. All of the fighting is practically contained up top so he has yet to see a soul. Good. The less crew down below the easier it makes getting his hands on the treasure he seeks.</p><p>His heart starts to beat loud and strong in his chest in double time as he hurries down the deck to reach the next sets of steps. The planks down here groan as loud as they used to when he was a lad, but now the sound is more aged and whiny. It’s as if the floor greets him after being away from his former prison.</p><p>To call this ship anything else but a prison would be a cruel joke. This ship had never been an escape, a home, or a decent living. Hellship and Prison fit better than those other words. Sometimes his wrists itch, as though his skin still misses the cold, rough steel of the shackles he used to wear.</p><p>Zack shakes the memories out of his head. That was then and it ended for him a long time ago. He really was lucky to be tossed overboard those some odd ten years ago. Had the Captain overseen his punishment himself that day, well… he wouldn’t be here raiding the very ship he had been tossed from.</p><p>He grips the reigns of his focus when he sees the next set of creaky steps to lead even further down to the lower levels. He might encounter some crew down there. Best be ready for them.</p><p>He holsters his broadsword once more and bounds down those stairs with practiced precision. These steps also groan and whine under his weight, some even creak loudly as if to signal they’ll snap if he applies any more pressure.</p><p>He walks through the threshold of stairs and into a new, open level of the ship. But for him, this level is not new－this level is his former prison. Where he used to work all day, where he used to be chained to for hours and hours. Down here where the cannons and capstan are.</p><p>There’s a fresh supply of powder monkeys looking no older than thirteen loading the cannons. They brandish the same shackles he used to wear and their bodies are covered in gunpowder, soot, dirt, and wounds. One near the back even sports a black eye. (Just like his former self.)</p><p>Over by the capstan, there’s crew of both young and old (some of which he might actually recognize) chained to it, and they constantly walk circles to keep it turning. They look just as beat and dirty as the powder monkeys.</p><p>Seems like Shinra still treats them like rats. Makes him sick.</p><p>But when they see him from the corners of their eyes, they only look at him for a moment with a quick sheen of fear in their eyes, but they go back to their tasks of spinning and loading cannons. Shinra’s got them trained to keep going, even in the face of an enemy raid which could potentially kill them all. Oh, he wants to vomit. They haven’t changed their ways one bit.</p><p>He won’t stand for this, even if the ship continuously takes more damage and the risk of fleeing too soon arises.</p><p>He can’t stand watching mere children and wounded old salts act as he once did.</p><p>“Seems to me!” Zack raises his voice over the sound of the capstan turning and creaking and the cannons sparking and firing. When he speaks, they stop loading and spinning momentarily and look at him. <br/>“That you fine lot are harped up in a clinch with no knife to cut the seizing’s.”</p><p>They still keep their eyes on him, some in fear, and some in terse tenseness. One of the youngest looking powder monkeys (probably no more than eight) actually nods his head.</p><p>“I’ve been where you are now. I’ve stood where you stand now. In fact, you－” Zack points to a particular powder monkey near the middle of the cannons. “You stand <em>exactly</em> where I stood about ten years ago.”</p><p>The boy in question looks all around and then points to himself. “Me?” He timidly asks with a scratchy voice.</p><p>Zack nods sharply. “I too was a slave on this prison-ship. A former powder monkey like yourselves shackled to the very cannon I always loaded.” He starts to walk down the length of the deck, eyes looking into each and every one that he passes. His steps echo powerfully off the old planks and the feather in his hat moves about with his motions.<br/>“But now? I stand before you as Captain Zack Fair of The Honor’s Keep.”</p><p>There’s actually noise of recognition from a few powder monkeys for his present, and some of the older crew’s eyes light up in remembrance of his past.</p><p>“I have a proposition for you all.” He stops walking and stands in the middle with a determined smirk on his face, blue eyes looking all around at the faces coveting awe or surprise. <br/>“Who’d like to leave this shackled prison and sail on a ship that treats every hand with respect? Where all jobs are done according to skill and split equally? Or who just wants to leave the seas and stick to a quaint, quiet life on the land?”</p><p>There’s silence that fills the air at first. It’s hesitant and unsure and there’s heavy tension that settles with it.</p><p>But then the powder monkey he pointed at slowly raises a shackled hand and the chain links clink. “I-I’d like to get off this ship.” He says with a nervous stammer.</p><p>One boy behind him looks at him like he lost his marbles, but the one behind him raises his hand too. “I’d like to go back to living on the land.” He says with a steady voice.</p><p>The youngest boy eagerly throws up his hands then. “I wanna be a pirate!” He beams a smile full of gaps from lost baby teeth. (And it reminds him so much of his best friend’s old smile.)</p><p>“I’d just like to get off my feet for a damn minute.” One of the older hands chained to the capstan gruffly laughs. A few others dryly chuckle along with.</p><p>A wild smile with the bright flash of lightning luminescence splits across Zack’s face. “If you all can help direct me to something on this ship, then I swear on my very life that I will get every last one of you out of here and aboard my ship instead.”</p><p>“What’re you lookin’ for?” A freckled-face powder monkey asks.</p><p>“Something down in the orlop in a secret room. I tried to come back for it in the past, but I didn’t succeed. Which is why I’m here now－to finally claim it as mine.” He looks to his left hand and clenches it into a fist.</p><p>“The secret room?” An older crew member speaks up. “We’ve seen some of the higher officers, even the Captain go in there, but we’re not sure <em>what’s </em>in there.”</p><p>“I do.” Zack sets his eyes ablaze in blue fire. “I’m <em>getting</em> it, and I’m not leaving without it, no matter <em>what.”</em></p><p>“But you need a special key to get in.” The older one adds.</p><p>“Who needs a key when I have brute strength and a weapon?”</p><p>“Point taken. We’ll accept your proposition.”</p><p>Zack smiles brightly. “Thanks! Trust me－you won’t regret this.” He raises his sword up high. “For freedom!”</p><p>He turns his blade to the sharp side and starts to slash the chains by the cannons, near the wrists of those bound, and all around the capstan until every hand is freed. The metallic links fall to the planks with thuds and echos and the sound fills him with pride.</p><p>He’s doing exactly what the former Captain (now Quartermaster) of The Honor’s Keep did for him－give them the freedom to choose how they live their lives.</p><p>The powder monkeys turn their wrists to and fro, in awe they have the freedom to lift their hands over their heads and move about the deck on their own accord. The older crew members rub their wrists and sigh in relief.</p><p>Then, suddenly, fast steps echo their way from the stairs and into the room. “What is the meaning of this? Why are you rats not doing your－” A high-ranked officer walks in just in time to see all of the crew unbound by their chains and moving away from their positions.</p><p>Zack glances over his shoulder and inhales softly at the officer standing nearby. He remembers this man. This man was in charge of his quadrant when he was still a slave boy. A stout, rotund man dressed in navy green with thick black facial hair surrounding his fat, wrinkled face. Though he’s starting to sport some white in his hair and beard.</p><p>“My, my, is that you, Quartermaster Heidegger?” Zack muses. “You’ve certainly gotten fatter in the past ten years.”</p><p>“And just who are you, pirate scum?”</p><p>“Captain of The Honor’s Keep, Zack Fair, at your service.” Zack properly bows, but he does it in a mocking fashion. “But you might better know me as powder monkey serial number forty-nine.”</p><p>Quartermaster Heidegger’s eyes scrunch in deep thought and the wrinkles around his eyes and forehead deepen. Then those dull eyes widen and he makes a noise of shocked recollection.<br/>“Y-You’re that slave boy I threw overboard! I fed you to the fishes! How in Minerva’s name do you still live??” He brandishes a worn looking rapier from his side and juts it outward.</p><p>“You should have thrown me over when you weren’t getting attacked by pirates of The Honor’s Keep. A scout noticed me flailing about in the sea and a boatswain in a yawl happened to get to me before I drowned.”</p><p>Heidegger snorts roughly from his nose and raises his rapier. “A mistake I won’t make again. This time I kill you with my own two hands.”</p><p>“Come and try, fatso.” Zack grins.</p><p>With an appalled gasp followed by an angry cry, the Quartermaster breaks out into a sprint (though slow and awkward due to his rotund stature), and rushes him with his weapon out, gunning towards his neck. But he easily deflects the blade with his own, metal scraping and sparks flying. With a quick flick of his wrist he’s able to disarm the stout man and send his weapon straight into the wooden planks below with an echoed <em>twang</em>.</p><p>He doesn’t give him time to recover. Zack instantly dashes up with the lightning speed he’s known for and he buries his blade deep into his gut, twisting it as far right as he can in his insides. He can’t and won’t forgive anyone who treats their crew－especially mere children－like rats. Death is the only fitting punishment for greedy, selfish men like him.</p><p>Besides, <em>he’s</em> the man who beat his old best friend the worst－a quick death would be too merciful.</p><p>He twists his blade the other way and blood flows out like thick syrup after being warmed up. And once he’s had his fun twisting his blade, he yanks it out quickly and splatters blood all over the floor. Quartermaster Heidegger instantly drops to the planks and falls on his face. Blood pools around his body and seeps into the wood, staining the aged tan red.</p><p>Another loud boom echoes and a hole shoots through sides of the wall, a cannonball from his own ship soaring past and barely missing the crew inside. The boat rocks violently and starts leaning to the right a little. His crew must be showering The God’s Silk with so many holes it might tip over.</p><p>If he wasn’t in a hurry before, he <em>definitely</em> is now. He’s <em>got</em> to get down to the orlop and claim the Angel before it really is too late.</p><p>“Alright, we’re running out of time here.” Zack announces as he flicks the blood off his sword and turns his eyes back to the silent crew. (Some of the boys look mortified at the sight of Heidegger’s corpse, but one of them sticks their tongue out at him and mocks him.)<br/>“I’ve got to get to the secret room in the orlop fast. So I need the older crew to keep and eye on the young ones as you make your way to the upper deck. Be on the lookout for a man with a bandanna over his head and eyes or anyone wearing the colors you see on me.”</p><p>“Then what? Your crew will just let the enemy’s crew waltz right on over?”</p><p>“Tell anyone on my side that you were freed by the Captain, that he gave you direct orders to board my ship and if they want to argue with that, tell them they’ll have to face my wrath from ignoring my orders.”</p><p>“Right!” The older crew choruses.</p><p>“Get moving! You don’t have much time!”</p><p>The crew instantly scrambles for the stairs to lead them to the upper deck and he watches them go. Though the youngest powder monkey lingers for a moment, standing right next to him with bright eyes.</p><p>“Hey, you better hurry and follow them, lad.” Zack says with a soft smile and tone.</p><p>“Thank you, Captain Fair~” He smiles. <br/>Then he quickly bolts from the room and tails after the other boys with a little cry of ‘wait for me, guys’.</p><p>A smirk graces his face for a moment and he lightly shakes his head. Though when he turns his eyes to the close by corpse of his older Quartermaster he snorts at him and nudges his body with his boot. The blood from his gaping stab wound pools out underneath his round frame and soaks through the wooden planks.</p><p>With one last shake of the head, Zack sprints further down into the room where he knows the stairs leading to the orlop will be. He’s not going to waste time cleaning up.</p><p> </p><p>Leave it for the other officers to find－then they’ll know that Zack Fair isn’t a yippy little seadog like they think.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh Shinra, still at it huh? Like they're ever gonna change 😂 Well, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and that it was up to par! Don't be afraid to let me know what you thought~ I really do love and appreciate ever little comment and kudo I can get~! 💗💗😊</p><p>See you in the next chapter tomorrow! 💚 (If I don't f@$#%*&amp; forget! 🤬)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zack finally finds what he's been searching for</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Annnd here we are - the last part of the raid! 🏴☠️ (What'd I tell ya about having to break it up into digestible chunks? 😉)<br/>And since there's still many more scenes I wanna write, the story continues! 😄</p><p>With that said, happy reading! 📚😊📚</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zack hurries through the room as fast as his legs will let him, having to slow down a bit and stretch his arms out when another cannon blast rocks the ship. (He’s more surprised The God’s Silk hasn’t taken on any water.<em> Then again, his crew knows not to sink them while he’s still on board</em>.)</p><p>When his electric blue eyes catch sight of the stairs leading down to the orlop, he throws himself over the banister and onto the steps with a loud <em>thud</em> and dust disperses. He’s wasted plenty of time now, so he’s got to get his ass in gear and <em>really </em>move.</p><p>He finds the door to the orlop’s storeroom and pushes it open with an outstretched hand. Blankets and sheets adorn the limited supplies down here in the darkness. Only a few let lanterns light the room down here. Judging from how much is missing, the Shinra family’s been at sea for months. That probably explains why he hadn’t heard any of his crew shouting about taking too much damage or needing to retreat.</p><p>He scans over every inch of the storeroom, making sure no one’s hiding down here to try and get the jump on anyone determined enough (like him) to get down here. He pokes at a barrel with his blade and slashes one of the sheets tossed over their supplies. If someone was hiding, they would’ve made themselves known after that.</p><p>Zack makes a faint noise when his eyes connect with the door he discovered during his prior raid. It still looks the same; a plain wooden door with that strange blue crest from before still stuck at eye-level. He’s still unsure of what it stands for. He didn’t get to look at it for long the last time, but he’s not going to stand and stare at it either.</p><p>What he wants is just beyond this door.</p><p>He swallows a thick lump caught in his throat and power-walks over to the door, pausing in front of it while his heart squeezes tight in his chest. He reaches out and tests the door. It shakes a little and the metal frame around the edges rattle, but it doesn’t open. So it’s still locked after all.</p><p>A smug grin cracks at the corner of his mouth and he tightens his grip on his blade. The moment of truth is finally at hand.</p><p>He raises his arm up into the air, then swings down on the sword as though he’s cutting brisket straight from the skewer. His aim is true and cuts the keyhole underneath the knob, completely disengaging the springs inside and the door slowly creaks open.</p><p>Zack pushes open the door with great gusto and it slams against the wall as he enters. The sound of a light voice gasps after the sharp noise echoes off the wooden walls and it’s then his eyes meet with a sight he thought he’d never see again.</p><p>Ratty blond (nearly light brown) hair tucks into a tight ponytail at the base of a dirt-splotched neck. Those oiled spikes atop not contained in the old hair-tie spring out with wilted defiance and those equally messy bangs choppily frame a scratched up, tender looking face. Blue eyes the color of a cloudless summer sky look towards him wide with shock and fear (though there’s dirt or perhaps a light bruise underneath one of them). A malnourished frame shrinks away and the sounds of shackles scrape against the planks he cowers atop of.</p><p>He’s grown, changed, and filled out in ways he hadn’t as a child, but it’s him－it’s his best friend in all of Gaia.</p><p>It’s his Azure Angel.</p><p>But behind him, he notices thin jagged slashes carved all over the walls around him and some of them are even scraped into the floor. They’re tally marks－hundreds of them. The reasons why they don’t stretch further through the room cuff his wrists and ankles as thick steel shackles.</p><p>It’s disgusting. Horrendous the way he’s being handled. No matter, here’s here to fix that.</p><p>Zack instantly makes his way toward him with the biggest, brightest smile on his face he’s ever worn. But his best friend shrinks further away from him.</p><p>“W-Who are you? You- you’re not the Quartermaster nor the Captain.”</p><p>His voice too has changed. It’s a little deeper, has a bit more of a scratch and wisp to it. But he can still hear the old tint of his childish tone underneath it all.</p><p>“What? Don’t tell me you don’t recognize the face of your old best friend!” Zack beams as he stops right in front of him. He crouches down and balances on the balls of his feet, then tips his tricorn hat back a little.</p><p>His best friend cocks his head to the left slowly, then to the right quickly and his face makes a series of expressions he can’t quite read.</p><p>Instead, he takes his hat off all the way and ruffles up his own spiky hair with his free hand and turns his beaming smile beyond full blast. “How about now?”</p><p>His best friend leans in a little and squints his eyes, shackles by his wrists scraping the old planks from the motions. “You… look kinda familiar…” He hesitantly drawls. “…Like, someone I used to know… a long time ago…”</p><p>“Getting warmer~!” Zack keeps the smile stuck to his face like glue. “How about this? <em>Ahem!</em>” He clears his throat, points to his best friend, then thumbs at himself. “Pirates, Cloud－that’s what you and me are gonna be!”</p><p>At the mention of his own name, his friend quickly backs away and the shackles echo wildly against the planks. His eyes dilate and his chapped lips slightly part.</p><p>A silence follows between them and Zack hopes with all his might that his best friend didn’t actually develop amnesia or something. But that’s not the case.</p><p>“...<em>Zack?”</em> Cloud hesitantly responds with barely a voice.</p><p>“Thee one and only!” He puffs out his chest and twirls his hat in his hands.</p><p>“...N-No, th-that can’t be… you- he-” His best friend looks conflicted and a pained look washes into his eyes like a stormy ocean tide. Then his bottom lip quivers. “M-My best friend… got thrown overboard. There’s no way he survived… I… saw it happen…”</p><p>“Yes, your best friend, Zack Fair: powder monkey serial number forty-nine, aged thirteen when he disobeyed a direct order from his Quartermaster and was tossed into the sea during a pirate attack.”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes look at him with shock written in them like inked words on parchment.</p><p>“That order he disobeyed? To toss his best friend, the cabin boy, over the rails for flagging down the pirates in the first place. His punishment? To be turned into fish food himself.” He twirls his hat back onto his head and flicks the brim.</p><p>“It… can’t be…”</p><p>“Too bad for the fishes that the pirates his best friend flagged down happened to see him flailing in the water and rescued him from Davy Jones’ Locker, bringing him aboard their ship during the attack.”</p><p>Cloud’s blue eyes are wide as saucers. “He… <em>you s</em>urvived?” He slowly leans in again and his breath quivers. “…If you’re really Zack… then…” He swallows. “What was the nickname I gave you when we were kids?”</p><p>“Easy. It was－”</p><p>A loud boom splits through the room and another cannonball goes soaring past their heads. This time the ball hits low enough to draw in the sea and it starts to fill the room.</p><p>“Okay, I’ll answer that later, but right now we gotta go!” Zack exclaims as he swiftly cuts the chains by Cloud’s wrists and ankles.</p><p>He doesn’t give him any time to respond or answer－he’s already pulled him up to his feet by his right arm and is leading them out of the room. But he’s not fighting him. He’s letting him pull him along out of his captivity and through the storeroom.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Cloud－I’ll explain everything back when we’re on my ship.” He leads them up the stairs back to the room where he freed he other crew members.</p><p>“Y-Your <em>ship? Your</em> ship??<em>”</em></p><p>“Yeah? What, you think the hat’s just for show?” He grins.</p><p>They briskly walk through the previous room and pass Quartermaster Heidegger’s corpse still bleeding warm blood.</p><p>“D-Did you kill the Quartermaster??” Cloud’s voice cracks as they pass by.</p><p>“Fat bastard had it comin’.” Zack says as he leads them out of that room too.</p><p>“Where’s the rest of the crew? Did you kill them too??”</p><p>Zack glances behind him and scrunches his eyes as his brows become parallel lines. “What makes you think I’d kill boys in chains?”</p><p>“I－I don’t see them around, what am I <em>supposed</em> to expect? There’s a lot for me to process right now, Y’know! I was locked in that room for years!”</p><p>The tally marks carved into the walls flash through Zack’s head and play through his eyes like a projector. His brow flattens and his teeth grind down inside his mouth. But he rights the look on his face in seconds and puffs out a laugh.</p><p>“Good thing I’m rescuing you then!”</p><p>At that time, he reaches the door that leads out to the main deck, separating the innards from the outside. But someone stands in the way of that door now－someone Zack doesn’t recognize.</p><p>A man with hair as red as fire and untamed eyes as wild as his own steps forward with a worn pistol in hand, tapping against the back of his shoulder. The clothes that adorn his frame are sleek, but monochrome. He’s no slave, but he’s not an ordinary officer either.</p><p>A cocky half-smirk tugs at his lips as he lowers the gun eye-level. “Well, now… what do we have here?” He muses with a light voice as cocky as his smirk.</p><p>Zack narrows his eyes and softly growls. This guy’s <em>definitely </em>new crew. Not only that, but he seems competent too. He’d best tread carefully－he can’t afford to lose here.</p><p>“Trying to take Captain Shinra’s favorite slave, are we?” The safety on the pistol clicks off. The half-smirk on his pale face grows.</p><p>“Trying would imply a lack of success. I <em>am</em> taking him.” Zack copies the snarky half-smirk.</p><p>The red-head drawls a sarcastic noise and pretends to surrender with held out hands, even if one of them still has an eager finger over the trigger. “Is that right?”</p><p>“If you don’t want to get hurt, I’d suggest you’d stand to the side, bilge-rat.”</p><p>“My, my~ I don’t think you understand the position you’re in!” The gun directly aims right between Zack’s eyes and the playful light from this gunner’s eyes is gone. “The only one getting hurt here will be you.”</p><p>“Is- that- right-?”</p><p>Zack nonchalantly holsters his weapon, shifts his weight to his right and stuffs his hand into his coat pocket. Then he whistles a quick little high-pitched tune and his pocket glows a faint red.</p><p>“Care to meet the mascot for The Honor’s Keep?”</p><p>This is his best bet to take on this mystery man and keep Cloud safe.</p><p>Just as the gunner shoots off a bullet, a white light materializes all throughout the room, blinding those with open eyes. The shot arcs and flies straight through the wall, sunlight from outside pouring in through the small hole.</p><p>Chitter that could only be described as sharp and pointy swells throughout the room and a small object flings itself out of the light. Once that blinding light vanishes, the strange noise forms into a shape in front of the cocky Captain and freshly liberated slave. A small, foot-tall cactuar stands rigid and tilted, arms and legs moving back and forth while remaining in place.</p><p>The gunner blinks once, then twice, and a harsh snort comes from the back of his throat. “A cactuar? A pirate’s mascot is a <em>cactuar??</em>”</p><p>“Hey Spiny~?” Zack sweetly coos. (The cactuar makes an endearingly prickly noise in response.) “Pincushion this guy－1,000 Needles.” He points.</p><p>It’s then the color drains from the gunner’s face and he’s not laughing anymore. He spins on his heel and throws the cabin door that leads to the deck open and scurries.</p><p>It’s shortly after that when precisely one-thousand needles come shooting out in every direction, splintering wood with sharp sounding <em>pings</em> and sending dust through the air. Cloud yelps and hides himself behind Zack.</p><p>But these needles won’t hurt him or any of his friendlies. Spiny’s part of the crew－and his crew doesn’t hurt one another.</p><p>The attack soon settles and Zack waves the dust away with a quick clear of his throat. “<em>Woo~ g</em>ood job, Spiny.” He grins with another light clear.</p><p>Spiny makes an elated noise and bounds up and down in place. Then a light consumes it, splitting it apart into hundreds of tiny orbs, before sucking back into his coat pocket. He smirks and tightly clenches the Summon Materia in his hand from inside the pocket. The warmth radiates back against his skin before he releases it and removes his hand. Spiny was the niftiest piece of treasure he ever had the pleasure of plundering.</p><p>Well, aside from <em>this</em> heist.</p><p>“Alright, before my crew can sink this ship with their Captain still aboard, let’s get a move on.”</p><p>He steps forward with powerful strides, still keeping his other hand locked on his best friend’s small arm. Said friend still follows and makes no move to pull away. Though when he goes to push the cabin door open, it creaks slowly before simply falling out of the frame and onto the deck where it splinters on impact.</p><p>“...Oops.”</p><p>“Captain Fair! Thar you be!”</p><p>Zack squints into the sunlight and uses his free hand as a visor to look beyond the bright haze. One of his crew stands close by to the fallen door and a relieved smile is on his face.</p><p>“Some of us were startin’ to think you weren’t gonna make it back to the deck before the enemy ship took too much damage!”</p><p>“<em>Some</em> of you might need a reminder of just who your Captain is.” Zack muses as he steps out onto the deck, guiding Cloud right behind him who winces at the light. “But I got what I came here for, so let’s get while the getting’s good!”</p><p>“Aye-Aye, Captain! I’ll let the others know!”</p><p>His crew-mate dashes off, shouting out orders to retreat back to the ship and to prepare to set sail. Zack goes to run, but finds that his arm tugs back and Cloud stays rooted to the deck. He makes a concerned noise and glances over his shoulder.</p><p>His best friend has a hand over his eyes and he’s hunched over, hissing and grunting and faintly trembling. Right… he’s been chained up in that room for years (as he said earlier). If that’s the case then who knows when he got to see the sky, or even be outside last. His eyes can’t adjust with all this light, not after living in all that dim shade without a single window. It makes Zack’s chest ache terribly and now he just wants to burn this ship and send it down to the murky depths of the cold, cruel sea.</p><p>He swiftly removes his hat and plops it down over Cloud’s head, tucking the brim down far enough to help shield his eyes, then sweeps him off his feet and into his arms.</p><p>If Cloud can’t see then he can’t move, and if he can’t move then they can’t escape. They’re in the homestretch－they just have to power through the final obstacle now.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of the light soon, Cloud.”</p><p>He dashes across the deck, spinning around the destruction and incapacitated bodies his crew’s made (and tries to avoid falling into the holes in the deck from previous cannonballs.) Needles left over from Spiny are still out, embedded in deck and even in the unconscious bodies of the Shinra family’s crew.</p><p>
  <em>That takes care of that.</em>
</p><p>The wind’s picked up since he first made contact with the deck and it blows southward－the perfect getaway direction. (There’s a big port town down south where they can rest up and gather their bearings.)</p><p>“Alright the lot of you! Back to the ship!” Zack barks when he sees two of his armed sailors trying to pick a scrap with a defenseless low-ranked officer.</p><p>“O-Oh, Aye-Aye, Captain!” The one on the right stammers.</p><p>“Right away!” The one on the left echoes.</p><p>They both take off and dash back to the ship which circles close by and if he squints hard enough he can see his Sailing Master manning the helm under the guide of their Quartermaster. The last of his crew on board The God’s Silk grab ropes tossed down from his own ship by his crew members who stayed behind. He can even seen the small forms of the powder monkey boys he rescued on his ship and they try to throw ropes down too.</p><p>A wild smile washes over his face. Freeing prisoners aboard the Hellship and sticking it to the Shinra family always puts him in a fantastic mood. He dashes up to the side of the ship and does a quick headcount of everyone he can see on his ship.</p><p>There’s the powder monkey boys, the older crew once chained to the capstan, his own crew running about the deck, some more of them already doing quick patchwork on a hole from enemy fire… Luxiere is up on the poop deck with a telescope and Kunsel is nearby with a hand shielding the sun from his face. When Luxiere spots him he points out with his free hand, which grabs Kunsel’s attention and he peels his bandanna away from one of his eyes, then waves enthusiastically at him.</p><p>Looks as though he and Cloud are the only ones left on this ship now. Better not keep them waiting.</p><p>“And where, pray tell, do you think you’re going?”</p><p>Zack skids to a halt, dust and splinters up-heaved from his boots and quickly spins on his heel.</p><p>Another new face－but this is a rather lavish gentleman and bears a striking resemblance to the Captain of The God’s Silk, what with that platinum blond hair and those piercing blue eyes. But judging by the elegant white coat and clothes that swarm his body snugly (along with quite the elegant looking bicorn hat), he’d say he might be staring at the <em>new </em>Captain of the Hellship.</p><p>“You pillage my ship, steal my crew, cause <em>thousands </em>of Gils worth in damages, <em>and</em> try to make off with my prized slave and you think you can simply leave?” He coolly asks as he continues to step forward, hand poised over his exquisite-looking rapier.</p><p>“Uh, yeah?” Zack responds with an arched brow. “That’s kinda the pirate way－not that you would know. You look far too fresh off the land to be a man of the sea.”</p><p>The young Captain narrows his eyes and huffs haughtily. “I’ve been Captain of the illustrious God’s Silk for quite some time, and I don’t like your <em>tone</em>.” He sneers.</p><p>“Quite some time, huh? You sure didn’t look like you were in charge when I busted down your doors two winters ago.”</p><p>Oh, that comment strikes a nerve. The tight look on the Captain’s face becomes angry and his face flushes a tell-tale shade of red. “And just who do you think <em>you </em>are? Nameless scum!”</p><p>“Me? Name’s Zack Fair actually. And I’d like to be called ‘Scourge of the Seven Seas’ next time you address me, if you don’t mind.” He smirks.</p><p>“I’ll see you measured for chains, you insolent whelp!” The Captain growls as he quickly unsheathes his rapier.</p><p>“I’ve done my time in chains, Captain Shortfuse. I’m just here to claim something I left behind during my formative years of captivity here.”</p><p>The Captain drops his anger and switches it into smug arrogance. “That’s Captain Rufus Shinra to you, slave scum.” He flicks his bangs out of his eyes. “Pray tell the ‘thing’ you left behind isn’t my prized possession you’re so brutishly carting around?”</p><p><em>His</em> prized possession?? What a joke!!</p><p>“Hm, didn’t think you kept ‘prized possessions’ as prisoners shackled to the floor.” Zack snorts as he starts to walk backwards.</p><p>He’s not wasting any more time on this ship and he’s quite had his fill of looting and talking. Once he’s close enough, he’s jumping back on his ship and they’re taking off right after.</p><p>“It was down there for it’s own good… it had a habit of defying orders, so to keep it from getting… too cracked and chipped, I had to put it in a safe place.” Captain Shinra follows him slowly, keeping that smug look on his face.</p><p>“For years?”</p><p>“Yes, if that’s what it took to get it cooperative.”</p><p>“<em>It </em>this, <em>it</em> that. <em>He’s</em> got a name you know.”</p><p>“<em>It</em> is nothing more than a rusty tool our family still needs. So, before I <em>really</em> lose my temper, I’d like it back.”</p><p>“He’s a <em>human being. Not</em> a tool. And you’ll be lucky if you ever even <em>see </em>him again.”</p><p>Just as Captain Shinra moves to intercept and take Cloud back himself, a rope comes swinging down from his ship and right past Zack’s eyes. A wild grin splits across his face, lightning energy pulsing brightly.<br/><br/>“Later~!” He smiles.</p><p>He grabs the rope in his hand, runs to the edge of the ship, then leaps over the rails. Captain Shinra cries out in surprise and anger and lunges, but he’s too slow to reach them and eats deck instead.</p><p>Zack blows a raspberry at him as his crew hoists both him and Cloud up and away from The God’s Silk, then into the familiar deck of his own ship.</p><p>“Alright, the Captain’s back! Full speed ahead!” Kunsel shouts over the air.</p><p>Cheers and raucous laughter fill the salty air as The Honor’s Keep peels away from the tattered side of the Shinra family’s ship, catching the wind in their masts and sailing them southbound.</p><p>It’ll take a long time for Shinra to recover from their surprise attack. They’re low on supplies and their ship’s full of holes and collateral damage. Even if they’re dumb enough to follow them, it’ll take them double－if not triple－the time to catch up.</p><p>“Alright boys! Break out the good stuff! Tonight, we celebrate!” He cheers.</p><p><br/>It’s a major win for The Honor’s Keep, and for Zack too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope it was a good conclusion for the raid! ⚓ And I hope you guys liked it or enjoyed it or whatever it is you thought! 😄 I don't think the next chapter will be ready by tommorrow, but hopefully I'll have it finished soon (I started working on it a little bit ago)</p><p>See you in the next chapter~! 📖💚</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Promise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It might've taken longer than he would've liked, but Zack kept his promise.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A new chapter out and ready for you all~! 😊 I finally got enough free time yesterday to sit down and type and I had a blast writing this chapter! I hope you all like reading it as much as I liked writing it~ 📝</p><p>With that said - happy reading~ 📚💚</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Wait, Captain Fair where are you going? I thought we were gonna celebrate?”</p><p>“I’ll leave you in charge of that Kunsel－I’ve got something else to attend to. Just make sure you set out a couple of extra plates for our new recruits and one nearby me.”</p><p>Zack doesn’t mean to be so curt with his First Mate, but he needs to get Cloud below deck and out of the sunlight so he can see again.</p><p>“O-Oh, yes, Captain!”</p><p>Kunsel’s voice grows distant before disappearing altogether when Zack enters the stronghold of The Honor’s Keep, heading for the captain’s quarters (his room). His steps echo off the sturdy planks, the squeak to them soft and light compared to the old, rickety planks of The God’s Silk.</p><p>It’s good to be back on his own ship again. He doesn’t have to be on high-alert anymore or on a time crunch to get moving. He can relax a little while his crew sets everything else up.</p><p>More importantly, he can make sure his old best friend is alright.</p><p>Cloud is so, so light in his arms, like he weighed nary more than his own cabin boy. And when his bright blue eyes gaze upon the thin, twig-like limbs that make up his arms and legs it only makes his chest ache. It’s almost like he hasn’t grown at all since they were children－he's merely gotten taller is all.</p><p>The cuffs of the shackles still remain bound by his ankles and wrists and he softly snorts through his nose. He needs his Master Carpenter to cut those off. (In due time.) Making sure Cloud is attended to is priority number one.</p><p>Zack walks down the hall as the ship slightly sways, his balance sturdy and strong as the soft red door to his quarters comes into view.</p><p>He’s able to manage shifting the light weight of his best friend into one arm entirely and he’d almost be impressed if it wasn’t so sad. But with his left hand free, he grabs the handle of the door and yanks it open with a quick tug.</p><p>The wood quietly greets him with a familiar creak as he steps inside, then it creaks out a parting noise when he shuts it just as quick.</p><p>The windows are all uncovered and the magnificent sea stretching as far as the eye can see surrounds the view, the light from the sun glistening against the blue waters. The clouds are gone now and gives them clear sight and smooth sailing.</p><p>Fate still continues to bless them, it seems.</p><p>He feels his best friend shift his head and tries to look up and out, but instantly winces and cowers his head still donning his hat. It’s still too bright.</p><p>“Hang on, I’ll get it dark in here.” Zack says with a voice reminiscent to his childhood.</p><p>He walks across the planks and only his boots make sound. He twirls around his desk cluttered with paper and quills and such of the like, steps over anything that might’ve fallen to the floor in his absence, and heads over to his large bed tucked perfectly into a little nook near the windows.</p><p>He releases Cloud from his one-armed hold and carefully set him on the bed adorned in soft maroon blankets and quilts, then power-walks over to his windows with his left hand stretched out.</p><p>As he passes each window, his left hand grabs the red velvet curtains and slides them closed, one-by-one, until all five bow windows are covered. The room darkens considerably but there’s still enough light for him to see the objects in his room and where he’s going.</p><p>With a quick little nod, Zack makes a soft noise of content before he closes the gap between himself and his bed that Cloud now gingerly sits upon. He’s got his head up now at least, though the brim of his hat still hangs over his eyes and blocks them out.</p><p>He stops right in front of his bony best friend and takes a knee, gazing under the brim of his hat and into those blue eyes he remembers so fondly.</p><p>They seem to gleam in the dim darkness, a sky blue luminescence with a soft green after-glow bursting around his pupils. <em>That seems new for some reason.</em> Then those pupils refocus to the shadowy room, enlarging and rounding out like a content house-cat before locking straight onto his.</p><p>“Can you see now?” Zack asks with a soft smile.</p><p>Cloud faintly nods his head and the hat still on him moves with him. It <em>is </em>rather big on him. Eyes break away from his and glance down at the bed. Those thin fingers tightly curl around his sheets and he fists them.</p><p>“Soft, huh?” Zack comments.</p><p>Knowing the state he found his best friend in, he surmised this is probably the first time he’s ever sat on something this soft or comfortable.</p><p>Another wordless nod greets his eyes as he unclenches his fists and splays those hands out over the sheets, running the palms of his hands over them. For some reason, it seems Cloud doesn’t want to look at him anymore. (At least, that’s what it feels like to Zack.)</p><p>“Cloud?” He asks carefully.</p><p>Those eyes break away from his hands caressing the covers and they do lock on to his. But he looks sad, or maybe even a little conflicted.</p><p>It seems as though he wasn’t ever going to speak up. But before Zack could voice anything about that, he does.</p><p>“Why did you save me?”</p><p>Zack blinks with an absent look across his tanned face, but he rights the expression with a soft noise of endearment and replaces it with a smile. “Because you’re my best friend.”</p><p>Those eyes narrow slightly. “Am I really?” He asks with a slight point in his voice.</p><p>The smile on his face falters a little and one of pained compassion takes its place. “Yeah, you are.”</p><p>“I don’t- I <em>can’t</em> believe that.” Cloud shakes his head softly and the point in his voice eases away.</p><p>The words hurt and Zack has to restrain the look of pain from crossing over his face.</p><p>“My best friend died that day. I saw it happen.” His eyes go back to staring at the covers splayed across the bed. “Zack died that day, because if he didn’t－he would have come back for me a long time ago.”</p><p><em>That </em>hurts. Those words do make that pained look cross his face and his chest aches so fiercely he thought his heart might stop.</p><p>“He promised we’d get off that ship <em>together.</em> He said we’d be the fiercest pirates among Gaia’s seven seas.” There’s a thick warble in Cloud’s voice and his fingers turn back to fists. “We pinkie promised. And the Zack I remember <em>never </em>broke his promises.”</p><p>The words cut deeper than any cutlass could. They cut straight down to his aching chest and stab him right through his very heart.</p><p>“Cloud, he－<em>I</em> survived.” Zack says, trying his best to keep a steady voice.</p><p>His best friend turns eyes to him and they’re pointed and narrow. “If you’re <em>really</em> my best friend, if you’re <em>really</em> the Zack I know, then <em>why</em> didn’t you come back?” There’s moisture in those pointed eyes.</p><p>“I… I tried.” His own voice warbles and his eyes start to blur, emotion in them like his voice.</p><p>Cloud’s eyes dilate and some of that sharpness softens.</p><p>Zack hangs his head down a little, staring at the steel cuffs still bound at his best friend’s ankles. “I tried so hard to go back. You don’t know how I begged and screamed for the pirates aboard this very ship to toss me back into the sea, or to throw me over the rails and back to that prison…”</p><p>He can’t bring himself to raise his head, <em>or </em>to look into those betrayed blue eyes. He could only see the memories against the wooden planks playing out; how he tried to fight his way out of the former Captain’s iron-clad grip, tried to claw his way out and throw himself over the rails, but being pulled back every time.</p><p>“I wanted to go back so badly… I didn’t want freedom if I didn’t have you…” He somehow finds the courage to raise his head and lock his eyes with his best friend’s. “But no matter how I tried, how I begged and pleaded to go back and be with my best friend… the Captain wouldn’t let me go back.”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes had lost that pointedness and the moisture in them had swelled considerably.</p><p>Zack reached out with shaking hands and splayed them over the thin hands of his childhood friend, silently grateful that he didn’t tug them away.</p><p>“The only way he kept me from tossing myself over was by promising me that one day we’d come back, when I was truly ready. I didn’t understand what he meant then…” He shakes his head a little.<br/>“But then I <em>did </em>understand. Sure, if I came back I’d be with you again, but we’d go right back to being slaves, back to the same tired routine we so desperately wanted to leave…”</p><p>Cloud swallowed a thick lump in his throat and his cheeks flushed a rosy shade of red.</p><p>“But if I came back stronger with freedom in my hands, then I could give it to you. If I waited until the time was right, then I could <em>truly </em>keep my promise. How could I keep my promise if I came back just to be a slave again?”</p><p>“...But… he said we’d do it… together…” Cloud’s voice warbles fierce and a small trail of tears leaks from his left eye.</p><p>“And <em>we </em>can－<em>now. </em>Now that we’re <em>both</em> free and no longer slaves to the Shinra family.” He sniffs mucus from his nose. “I am so sorry I made you wait for so long, Cloud. I truly, deeply am.”</p><p>Zack curls his left hand around Cloud’s tightly, and with his right, he maneuvers their hands around until he’s locked their pinkies together and he squeezes tight. His best friend makes a strangled gasp and his chapped lips slightly part.</p><p>“I know it took longer than you wanted it to, but…” He smiles brightly. “Hushpuppy came back for you.”</p><p>Cloud’s face flushes bright red and tears track down both his eyes. He lets out a loud sob and throws himself off the bed and into his arms, the hat on his head falling to the floor.</p><p>Zack makes a faint noise of surprise, but he’s quick to wrap his arms around his lanky best friend and he holds tight and it’s then they both start to weep.</p><p>“It <em>is</em> you!” Cloud croaks. His whole body trembles. “You <em>are</em> alive and you <em>are</em> Zack!”</p><p>“I told you that, Spiky~” Zack shakily laughs, bringing back his own nickname for his best friend. “Then again you always were <em>ridiculously </em>stubborn.”</p><p>“I’ve missed you so much!!”</p><p>He’s missed this too. He’s missed this so much. He’s missed his best friend and he’s missed their hugs and laughter.</p><p>He’s missed his Azure Angel terribly.</p><p>“Me too, Cloud. I’ve missed you too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And so we finally know what their childhood nicknames are! (One of them was probably a given though because I'm such a sucker for it and old habits die hard 😅)</p><p>But anywho, I hope you enjoyed it~ 💗 Maybe if everything goes well I'll have the next chapter up come this next Saturday!</p><p>Thanks for reading~ 📚😊💕</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Guilty Galley</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cloud's thrust into a warm unknown - but he has no idea how to handle it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*looks at calendar* Fuuuuuuuuuckk a month?? It's really been a month since I last updated this, oi, yikes. I better not be falling back into die-hard habits again naaahhh 😖</p><p>Well, aside from that, I hope you enjoy the chapter~ 🔖</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Three tender knocks resound against the door to the captains quarter’s, the vibrations echoing softly across the sturdy red wood. The sound causes his best friend to release him from their embrace on the floor and turn his head back to the source.</p><p>“Captain Fair?” A small, meek voice asks beyond the wood. “I hate to intrude your quarters, but I figured you would like to know that preparations for the banquet are finished.” It adds. The voice has such a unique and eloquent way of speaking and he can’t say he’s heard it before.</p><p>Then again, after spending X amount of years locked in that windowless room down in The God’s Silk’s orlop, Cloud hasn’t heard much at all.</p><p>“Ah, swell news, Chadley!” Zack responds with bright enthusiasm in his voice. Enthusiasm he can remember from their childhood. (It’s still hard to believe he actually survived that fall all those years ago and that this man is indeed his best friend, Hushpuppy.)<br/>“We’ll be there in a jiff!”</p><p>There aren’t any more words spoken after that and soon light steps fade away from behind the closed door before disappearing altogether.</p><p>Zack turns his head back to him and beams a trademark Hushpuppy smile at him. “I can’t wait for you to meet the rest of my crew! They're all swell lads and I’m sure they’re just <em>dying </em>to know about you.”</p><p>“Why would they?” He responds and shakes his head, hair stained and darkened by its own natural oils swinging in front of his eyes. “I’m just a slave.”</p><p>“<em>Were</em> a slave.” His best friend corrects as he claims his hat from the floor, spinning it in his hands before placing it back on his head. “And I’ve talked about you－lots. In fact, I don’t think I ever shut up about you once these past ten years.”</p><p>“You… talked about me?” It’s impossible for Cloud to hide the surprise in his voice and he feels his eyebrows faintly raise in response.</p><p>That just makes the smile on Zack’s face stretch even wider. “Of course! Why wouldn’t I talk about my greatest treasure, the Azure Angel? Or how desperately I wanted it back? Or how long I spent tracking it down and searching for it high and low?”</p><p>“Azure… Angel?” His voice gives way to a harsh snort and he can’t stop the stupid smirk stretching out his mouth. “Hushpuppy, that’s so <em>lame.</em>”</p><p>His best friend’s face contorts into playful shock and his mouth gapes open. “I thought it was really cool!” He pouts.</p><p>Cloud is glad though. He’s glad that his best friend hasn’t changed after all these years and after their long time apart. And he’s glad he never gave up on their promise－even though he thought he did. (Technically he’s thought his friend’s been dead until today. <em>Still adjusting to that.</em>)</p><p>But still, he’s glad either way.</p><p>“Hey.” Zack’s voice calls out as his hands gently grab and hold his own. He’s dropped the pout on his face and replaced it with a full, gentle look. “I’m so happy to have you back, Cloud－truly. I’ve missed you more than you know.”</p><p>For some reason he can’t maintain eye contact with his best friend and he shifts his head, glancing at the floor right next to him. He tries to fight the heat flourishing in his face but he knows he fails.</p><p>It wasn’t often when Zack would get sappy, <em>even when they were children</em>, but it always made him nervous and blush when he did.</p><p>“Now,” Zack lightly squeezes his hands, pulling his eyes back to him. “Lets go get some good grub in you. Gaia knows you probably haven’t eaten anything decent all this time.”</p><p>And his best friend pulls him off the bed and on his feet all while he remains silent, still trying to fight the blush from blotching down to his neck. He knows he can’t fight the heat on his face, but at least he can try to fight it from spreading elsewhere.</p><p>And even as they stand and walk, Zack leads him by his hands, never letting go. That does make the blush flush down to neck and he swallows out of reflex. Though when they reach the door, one of his hands is dropped so he can actually open said door. And even still he’s guided by his hands to where they need to go.</p><p>Cloud never breaks his eyes away from his best friend’s back. He doesn’t want to look anywhere else－his best friend is all he’s familiar with on this ship.</p><p>He’s taller now, broader now, bolder and older. But his smile is still how he remembers it; bright, goofy, and warm. And even though the nice clothes on his body and the tricorn hat on his head proves his rank and status, he still sees him as though they’re still children－dirty little body wrapped up in rags dragging him through The God’s Silk at night, turning his head back to look at him with a crooked smile and dirt on his cheek.</p><p>And just as that memory plays in his eyes, Zack does glance behind him and crooks his smile. And just like that it’s like no time has passed between them. They’re still the same kids they used to be, just, taller now.</p><p>When the ship rocks with a large wave, Cloud stumbles a little. He’s not used to being on a ship like this; walking around above the orlop unshackled, stepping about more than just a few paces, and feeling the rocking of the waves against the hull from a higher deck. But with Zack’s hand still guiding and holding his, he does not fall.</p><p>“Careful there,” His friend smiles. “My ship’s a little smaller than The God’s Silk, so it might sway a bit more.”</p><p>“Noted.” He responds as he rights his steps. The clink of the cuffs still shackled to his ankles echo as he sets his weight.</p><p>The metallic noise causes his best friend’s smile to fall a little and his bright blue eyes droop. The hold on his hand tightens ever so slightly.</p><p>“Don’t you worry－I’ll have those damned cuffs off you soon.”</p><p>His voice actually sounds pointed, like his own had been earlier. Then again, if roles had been reversed and it was Zack who had stayed a slave on a Hellship for an extra ten years shackled in a tiny room, he’d probably be just as pointed. (If not more so.)</p><p>Then the distant sounds of chatter starts to fill the quiet around them. They must be be getting close to where the galley is.</p><p>“But first,” The natural pep in Zack’s voice returns and the point vanishes. “We eat~”</p><p>At the thought of food, Cloud’s stomach growls low and loud and his mouth salivates in tandem. It makes him lick his lips out of reflex as he pictures the kind of food a proper pirate crew might eat.</p><p>All he ever ate was gruel－tasteless gruel and lumpy porridge and maybe the occasional serving of stale biscuits and watery gravy, (on a good day).</p><p>“And my Chief Cook whips up grub that’s absolutely divine.” Zack inflates a little as his eyes glance into his. “Well-seasoned meats, creamy stews, hearty soups, and the crispest vegetables~” He hums a little and a tongue darts out and licks the corner of his upper lip.</p><p>It’s official－there’s so much saliva in Cloud’s mouth it seeps out the corners of his lips as thick spit. And it’s then the smells catch up with the sounds of the distant chatter, which has grown louder the closer they’ve gotten. The galley must be very close by.</p><p>And the smells－the smells are so savory and strong they make all of the saliva in his mouth either dribble down his chin or head straight to the back of his throat, where he swallows thick.</p><p>It’s unlike <em>anything </em>he’s ever smelled before. He had no idea food could actually smell so good, (or even <em>have</em> a smell at all).</p><p>“<em>Ooh</em>, he really pulled out all the stops with this one didn’t he~?” Zack’s voice has gone up a half-step and there’s a musical warble in it. He turns his bright eyes and bright voice in his direction. “You’re in for a treat, Cloud, just you wait! This’ll be your best meal yet~! Captain’s Honor!” He winks.</p><p>Then a sliver of orange light crosses over his best friend’s face and once it lingers there, they stop walking and stand. Cloud finally breaks his eyes away from his friend and to the left where a wooden brown door stands. Behind the door, soft orange light ebbs out from the cracks in the wooden and in the small space above and below it nestled in its frame.</p><p>The smells are the strongest here and they waft out from right behind that door. And the chatter is louder too, sounds like there’s jovial laughter and boisterous shouts just beyond the wood.</p><p>“Ready?”</p><p>Before Cloud even has the chance to respond, Zack grabs the handle of the door and pushes it open. The orange light engulfs his body completely, washing over his face and clothes like the morning sun and his smile grows.</p><p>His hand is gently squeezed and then he’s tugged forward ever so slightly, dragging him into that orange light that makes him inhale sharply and squint out of reflex. When he dares to stare straight into the orange glow, his pupils shrink to pinpoints as he bears witness to everything inside.</p><p>Bright. The orange glow is so bright in the room. It lights the ceiling as a fancy chandelier, lights the corners of the room as intricately designed oil lamps, and even glows strong around a large table in the form of candelabras.</p><p>Spacey. There’s so much room in the galley that people could take up most of the walkway and there’d still be enough space to move about without problem.<br/>Well decorated too, from the lights to the dark stained furniture and gold colored accents… it’s warm.</p><p>People. People surround a long black table completely covered in all types of food and drink. Big, small, loud, soft. He’d say he could recognize some of his former crew from The God’s Silk, but that would be a lie. He knew they were liberated, but he never saw them. At least, not in that tiny, cramped room down in the orlop.</p><p>Scents. Scents completely engulf his nostrils and he hasn’t even taken a single step into the open room yet. Buttery, spicy, mellow, sweet. The scent of food, of stagnant ale, of bodies moving.</p><p>Sounds. There’s so- many- sounds. Raucous laughter, drinks sloshing, silverware clanking, meat tearing, loud smacking, cacophonous shouting.</p><p>It’s the complete opposite from his tiny shackled room aboard The God’s Silk.</p><p>“And this is the crew of The Honor’s Keep!” Zack announces as he steps into the loud, bright room full of sounds, tugging him right along with.</p><p>The sights and sounds and smells completely swallow Cloud, settling over him thick like a suffocating blanket. This brightness, this loudness, this all-surroundness… it’s unlike anything he’s ever experienced in his entire life.</p><p>“Ahoy me hearties!” Zack shouts into the sounds of pre-existing shouts. It makes the raucous chatter stop almost instantly and eyes of at least twenty to thirty plus break away from their conversations and food.</p><p>“Ahoy Captain!!” The entire crew shouts back.</p><p>
  <em>Makes Cloud flinch out of reflex.</em>
</p><p>“I see our Chief Cook didn’t skip any expense with this feast, eh?”</p><p>The crew cheers and some even raise their ale mugs into the air.</p><p>“And do my eyes spy some former God’s Silk crew enjoying a good meal~?”</p><p>Some of the powder monkey boys add into the conglomerate shouting with higher-pitched cheers of their own. (The eldest is trying to steal a sip of ale from an older crew member and the youngest is currently stuffing his face with a fat looking turkey leg.)</p><p>“Yeah－nothin’ beats the spoils of a successful heist!!”</p><p>The cheering increases volume and ale mugs bang against the table. Cloud flinches from it and takes the tiniest step back.</p><p>“Oi Captain! You <em>say</em> it was a success, but where in the hell is that Azure thing you wouldn’t shut yer yap about?” The gritty voice of the Sailing Master playfully sneers.</p><p>A look of fake realizations crosses over Zack’s face before it slides into more of a sly smile and he huffs a quick laugh. “You blind, Pilot Highwind? It’s standing right next to me!” He gestures toward him with outstretched hands as though he’s a marvelous game-show prize.</p><p>And it’s then that all eyes and a sudden quiet fall upon Cloud and he’s never felt smaller and meeker. He can’t even bring himself to mutter a ‘hello’ or even wave his hand in acknowledgement. But those stares and surprised silence doesn’t last long before the room bursts to life with shouts and cries.</p><p>“Whadda’ya mean that kid’s the Angel?”<br/>“That don’t look like no jewel to me!”<br/>“No way! You bein’ serious, Captain??”<br/>“Okay, I can see what you meant, Captain!”<br/>“Why didn’t you tell us the Azure was just your <em>boyfriend</em>??”<br/>“<em>Ooohh, </em>It’s the <em>eyes!</em> I get it!!”</p><p>And Zack just beams proud while the crew shouts all of their exclamations at him.</p><p>But for Cloud…</p><p>It’s too much.</p><p>There’s too many people. Too much noise. Too many scents. Too much shouting. Too much noise. Too much to take in. Too many people. Too much <em>noise</em>－</p><p>His ears ring and his eyes blur and his stomach feels tight and it drops and his heart feels like it’s rising straight out of his chest. His body pulls itself up and down at the same time and now his head hurts and it’s hard to breathe and he can’t think and everything is so loud and overwhelming and－!</p><p>He lets out a strangled cry and hightails it out of the galley as fast as he can.</p><p>“Cloud! Hey, where are you－”</p><p>He’s out of earshot before Zack even has the chance to finish his question. In fact he doesn’t even know where he’s running off to. He just runs, bolting down the halls and turning corners when he’s forced to with his heart slamming in his chest and his lungs shaping to cement.</p><p>Panicked tears blur his eyes and when he meets with a dead end, he lets out another strangled cry and instantly sinks to his knees, his hands over his ears pressing them in to mute all of the <em>everything</em> that <em>won’t stop ringing. </em>Somewhere along the line he started to sob, but now with his hands over his ears that’s all he can hear.</p><p>Even though the shouts and sounds and scents and sights still flood his brain as though he were still standing in that room, his sobs are the only thing that actually make corporeal noise.</p><p>Oh, he’s shaking too. When did he start shaking? When did he start crying and shaking as though he was being punished for disobedience back on The God’s Silk?</p><p>The God’s Silk… he never thought he’d actually <em>miss</em> being cooped up in that tiny, windowless room shackled to the floor.</p><p>It was quiet there at least…</p><p>Suddenly, a hand clamps over his shoulder.</p><p>His brain goes into instant shut-down mode and he crumples to the floor, hands over his whole head as his shakes become tremors and he can’t help himself from crying out.</p><p>
  <em>“I wanna go back! I wanna go back! Take me back!!”</em>
</p><p>“Cloud…?”</p><p>Even though it’s muted and he can barely hear it over his own panicked shouts－Zack’s voice rings through and it’s tense and concerned.</p><p>And because he knows the voice of his best friend, even if he’s older now, he knows he doesn’t have to stay in shut-down mode. So he cautiously lifts his head from the floor and removes his hands, curling them around his gut instead.</p><p>Once Cloud’s in an upright position, he feels a hand wrap around his and a pinkie curls around his own. It’s that soft action that gets him to glance behind his shoulder with a harsh, quivering sniff.</p><p>Zack’s knelt on the floor in front of him with crestfallen eyes, but they hold an almost overflowing supply of kindness and understanding beyond the blue he remembers.</p><p>“You don’t… really mean that, do you…?” His voice asks. And it’s a croaky, pained tone that asks. “You… wanting to go back?”</p><p>Cloud’s shoulders shake. He actually doesn’t know.</p><p>He knew what to expect in that prison－day in and day out and all throughout the night. Routine was in that prison. A sick sense of security was in there. Here? He had nothing. He had no routine, no schedule, no <em>idea</em> what to expect.</p><p>After spending his entire life in the harsh known, the <em>un</em>known felt more horrifying than the isolation of a decade-long prison.</p><p>But his childhood best friend deserves an explanation at least. So－he gives him one.</p><p>“I…” Cloud’s voice warbles. “…I’m scared.” He admits.</p><p>“Scared?” Zack sounds so dismayed at his response and his eyebrows raise and narrow at the same time. “What on Gaia do you have to be scared about <em>here?”</em></p><p>“Everything.”</p><p>That one word wipes the surprise right off his best friend’s face, replacing it with an alien sense of astonishment. He knew he’d have to clarify just what <em>everything </em>entailed.</p><p>“I don’t know… <em>anything</em> about this place. The open sea, all of the people, all of the sights and sounds and smells…” He shakes his head and sniffs back mucus in his nose. “I don’t know anything about it and it’s… so scary. I… don’t know what to expect here…”</p><p>“Oh…” Zack’s voice is practically mute, but the shocked look on his face falls into something easier to read－heavyhearted enlightenment. “I see what you mean…”</p><p>A silence falls between them, save of the sounds of the distant chatter and hollering from the galley and the ocean waves lapping against the ship.</p><p>“How could I expect you to just, <em>adjust</em> to this kind of life immediately?” A scoff scrapes the back of Zack’s throat. “How naive of me.” He shakes his head gently. “You’ve been a prisoner on that ship your whole life. Of <em>course</em> you’d be scared of this.”</p><p>But the grip on his pinkie tightens and the melancholic look wipes away from his best friend’s face. Instead, something determined and sure settles in. It’s enough to wipe the shakes out of Cloud’s shoulders and the mucus in his nose and throat dry up.</p><p>“On the ashes of the family I barely knew, I <em>swear </em>to you－I’ll wipe away all that fear and sadness sown into you by Shinra, and I’ll show you just how amazing life is without that sick sense of security, one step at a time.”</p><p>“Promise?”</p><p>Zack scoops his other hand up with his and locks their left pinkies together too. A bright smile washes over his face and Cloud can see that his childhood best friend hasn’t changed a bit.</p><p>“<em>Double</em> pinkie promise~” He beams. “You have my word, as Captain Zack ‘Hushpuppy’ Fair!”</p><p>Cloud snorts out a laugh, then takes a deep, steadying breath.</p><p>As long as they took it step by step, then he’d be okay adjusting to this new life.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'll try not to wait an entire month for the next one, but no promises lol I'm still working through some heavy shit in my old soggy meat wad called a brain 😏<br/>As always, I hope you guys enjoyed the content, and hope it was up to par!</p><p>See you in the next chapter! 💗</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Freedom Flavored with Bitter Tears</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cloud gets to eat his first decent meal~ 🍖</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi everyone! Been a little bit I know, couple months I think. Lots of bad shit happened and It took me a while to figure out how to write this specific chapter, but as you can see I did figure it out! 💭❗</p><p>So with that, I hope you like it~ 📚💚</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Here.” A soft voice speaks as a small plate of food is handed for him to take.</p><p>With unsteady hands that clink with the rattle of snapped shackles, Cloud reaches up and cups the bottom of the plate under his hands, pulling it towards him when it leaves the other set of hands.</p><p>He makes a face at the things on it. It certainly doesn’t look like anything that he’d be served aboard The God’s Silk. It doesn’t look at all like a watery soup or stale biscuits.</p><p>Each colorful food has so much radiance to it, like the colors practically glow－the reds and greens and whites shine in his eyes.</p><p>“You’re probably not used to decent food, so I got some stuff that’d be easy to digest.”</p><p>Cloud peels his eyes away from the food and glances up. Zack－his old childhood best friend and current captain of the ship he currently boards－gives him a restrained look of soft pity and faint kindness. He shifts his look, but he can’t tell what it is now. It looks like it could be sad, but it’s not.</p><p>“I’m… sorry.” He exhales gently and turns his eyes to the sheets of the bed.</p><p>It’s Cloud’s turn to give out a look he knows he doesn’t quite grasp. “For what?” He cocks his head slightly.</p><p>“For… not realizing how… overwhelmed, the galley would make you.”</p><p>“Oh, it’s okay.” He dismisses the apology. <em>To be honest he didn’t think he’d be that overwhelmed either.</em></p><p>“No, it’s not okay.” Zack shakes his head and the feather of his tricorn hat sways with.</p><p>“Then… why’d you apologize?” Cloud feels his face screw up as though he’s about to sneeze. He doesn’t understand.</p><p>“Because… well… I feel like I have to… since I couldn’t…” He swallows a thick lump in his throat. “…I couldn’t keep my promise to you when we were lads.”</p><p>He tears his face down and to the warmed plate in his hands. They may have been childhood friends once, but now there’s such a large, awkward rift in between them when there hadn’t been one before. A rift caused by time and maturity.</p><p>They are the same, but they <em>aren’t</em>. They have the same soul, essence, the very faint way their personalities shine, but now atop that balances pain, trauma, distance, guilt, regret and so much more.</p><p>They may have grown up together, but they matured－or in Cloud’s case stagnated－apart.</p><p>A large, awkward rift separates the children inside.</p><p>“I mean…” Cloud checks his voice softly; mic test, <em>tap tap.</em> “You didn’t <em>break </em>it…”</p><p>His eyes dart back up just in time to see his old best friend’s face twist to shock before melting into something sanguine.</p><p>“I guess you’re right. If I did, then you wouldn’t be here now, huh?” A smirk branches at the corners of his mouth.</p><p>It causes a smirk of his own to branch. “Yeah.” He softly nods.</p><p>A lull of silence falls between them, settling into the ambiance of the ocean waves lapping against the ship and the creaking of the wood as they pass over each wave.</p><p>“Well, I need to go check on my crew in the galley… make sure they haven’t burned anything down yet.” The smirk stays on Zack’s face even as he adjusts his hat. “You just sit tight here and eat what you can－I’ll be back soon.”</p><p>“Mm.” Cloud nods and pulls his eyes back to the food.</p><p>His ears listen to the sounds of his friend’s footsteps against the creaky wood, the low squeal of the quarter’s door opening, twisting, and shutting, before those steps fade away altogether.</p><p>He takes a hesitant, dirty finger and pokes at the red and brown object on the plate. It squishes softly and a red-tinted liquid gently pools out around the surface. Brown on the out, kind of on the in, but with a reddish center.</p><p>He takes his finger and swipes it across his tongue, smacking once, then twice, to register the flavor.</p><p>Savory, hearty, but with a kick. He can’t really tell what it is or why it tastes the way it does, but it’s <em>leagues</em> better than the stale scraps aboard The God’s Silk!</p><p>He picks up the brown and red strip in between his index finger and thumb, lifting it from the plate before taking a small bite with his front teeth, tearing off a little morsel. The savory, hearty flavors rush over his tongue and coat his teeth and the subtle kick becomes a bite. It’s a bit much for his pallid palate, but it’s so <em>good </em>that he doesn’t want to <em>not</em> eat it!</p><p>So, he eats. He chews the tough yet soft food carefully but quickly. <em>He’s bitten his tongue time enough that he’d rather avoid it if he can. </em>And the strip of brown and red is gone quickly, within mere minutes. So he moves onto the next thing he sees on the plate.</p><p>It’s green－almost a bright, florescent green, but it looks just as savory as the brown and red thing. He picks it from his plate and takes a quick lick of the lumpy surface. It doesn’t taste like the red and brown thing in terms of kick or flavor, but it’s still quite good. Tastes fresh, spring-like almost.</p><p>So he eats. It crunches under his teeth as though he’s eating soft glass, but the texture stays firm and solid and it holds it’s faint spring-like flavor even until it’s ground down to a paste-like texture he can easily swallow. And that too is gone with careful, lightning speed. Onto the last thing that sits on his plate.</p><p>It’s white, frothy－like snow. It doesn’t look like it has the same texture as the brown and red or the green things. He pokes his finger into the small white lump, but when he pulls back only some trace remnants remain. When he looks to the white mound, there’s a finger shaped hole in it. He simply shrugs as licks his finger.</p><p>It tastes kind of like the stale potatoes he’d sometimes get as scraps on The God’s Silk, but these are soft and have more flavors. It’s smooth, easy to swallow, and the flavor is faint, but it’s present. Buttery, creamy. Unlike the red and brown and green, but delicious as well.</p><p>So he eats. He uses his hand as a scoop and cups the white mash into his right hand, bringing it to his mouth and using his tongue to swipe it up. The scents of the butter and cream fill his mouth and the faint scents explode into flavors. And just like the others, that food is devoured with that careful crackle of enthusiastic curiosity and humanly desire.</p><p>Then he licks the entire plate clean with his tongue, mixing all of the different flavors together. The shackles by his wrists scrape against the wood, but the noise has long since phased him. He used to eat like this even before they kept him locked down in the orlop; messy, voraciously. Except this time the food was actually worth devouring so sloppily.</p><p>Then the door to the quarters he sits in creaks open just as he tongues the last bit of remains on his plate and he freezes, tongue glued to the wood with deer-like, scolded eyes.</p><p>Zack’s entered the room with a surprised but pleasant look on his face. Though when Cloud sees the form of someone else behind him stepping into the room, he pulls the plate from his face and holds it in his lap, a bright red blush bursting to life across his cheeks.</p><p>His old friend closes the gap in between them with a laugh that’s gentle yet full of life and pep, and the other person stands nearby with hands behind their back.</p><p>“Goodness Cloud, you eat just like you used to as a child!” Zack laughs and takes a knee in front of him. “So messy.” He smiles as he takes his hand and wipes it across his mouth, wiping the food from his lips and cheeks.</p><p>
  <em>An action frequently performed when they were still children.</em>
</p><p>“But I take it you enjoyed the food?” His smile beams brighter.</p><p>Cloud nods rapidly. “What <em>was</em> it?”</p><p>“Mutton, with broccoli and mashed potatoes on the side.”</p><p>His stomach gurgles and growls. It’s so good and he wants more. But he also doesn’t want to ask. Asking for more than what’s been given is usually grounds for reprimand. And though he’s sure his childhood best friend wouldn’t scold him, he doesn’t want to run the risk.</p><p>“And now that you’ve gotten something good in your gut, I think it’s about time we get those blasted shackles off you.” Zack glances over his shoulder. “Carpenter Sebastian, if you will.”</p><p>The person－Sebastian－makes his way over, a soft smile on his sharp, splotched face. Some of his face is pale and peachy, but around his right eye, dabbled across his cheek, slashed across his jaw and trailed down his neck is dark umber. And as strange as it looks to Cloud, it compliments his raisin hair.</p><p>“Good afternoon.” He greets with a soft voice. The sound reminds Cloud of a scratchy blanket with a satin trim. “I understand you’re in a bit of a bind?” He procures a small saw from one of his hands.</p><p>Instinctively, Cloud throws himself back. He scampers away until his back collides with the wooden wall and his fingers start to shake.</p><p>He doesn’t like saws. He doesn’t like them at all. The new captain of The God’s Silk made sure that he wouldn’t. <em>The scars across his torso were proof of that dislike.</em></p><p>“Hey, hey, it’s okay Cloud.” Zack’s already consoling him like he did when they were small. “Sebastian isn’t going to hurt you.” He assures with a gentle voice. “We just want to get those cuffs off, that’s all.”</p><p>He shakes his head and closes his eyes, wrapping his arms around his body and hugging himself, the shakes moving up his arms and to his legs as they make his shackles jingle.</p><p>He feels it, the toothy saw sliding across his skin.</p><p>He feels it, the blood bubbling underneath each toothy cut.</p><p>He feels it, the greedy fingers tearing at his cut flesh, prodding, poking, sinking inside, searching.</p><p>He hears it, his own ragged breaths like blades to his ears.</p><p>He hears it, the disapproved hums from the Captain and his Surgeon, muttering and mumbling.</p><p>He hears it, his own frantic whines gasping, labored breaths and choked cries pleading for release.</p><p>He feels it, the sensation inside that pushes them out.</p><p>He hears it, the voice of something unknown denying passage.</p><p>He feels it, the lump in his chest. The <em>thing</em> the Captain and the Surgeon so desperately want.</p><p>…</p><p>He feels it.</p><p>Something cool around his wrists.</p><p>He feels it.</p><p>Something warm around his cheeks.</p><p>He feels it.</p><p>Something cool around his ankles.</p><p>He feels it.</p><p>Something warm stroking his cheeks.</p><p>He hears it.</p><p>The grated sound of metal giving way.</p><p>He hears it.</p><p>The soft, muted voice of something incoherently soothing.</p><p>He hears it.</p><p>The grated sound of metal giving way.</p><p>He hears it.</p><p>The soft, muted voice of something quietly calming.</p><p>…</p><p>Silence.</p><p>He forces himself to open his eyes.</p><p>Cloud’s eyes instantly fill with the sight of Zack right in front of him, a strong, unwavering, but kind and benevolent look etched in his eyes of sapphire. His hands are on his face, cupping his cheeks and tenderly stroking them, making them blaze with a rubicund flourish. His mouth his moving, talking, but he doesn’t hear anything.</p><p>He dares his eyes to glance away from that steady face and comes to find the shackles once bound to his wrists and ankles are in broken halves against the bed. And even though it’s obvious they’ve been cut and sawed away－</p><p>Cloud’s completely fine.</p><p>He hasn’t been cut, or prodded, or poked around inside. Hasn’t been bound and stripped bare unable to move at all. Hasn’t been sickly mutilated against his will.</p><p>He’s untouched and the shackles are gone and he’s not hurt at all.</p><p>“－Ay. It’s okay, you’re okay…”</p><p>Cloud’s ears finally register that Zack’s been talking this whole time, and that he himself has been gasping and whining. He’s been telling him it’s okay, he’s okay, everything’s alright, this entire time.</p><p>But when did they have the opportunity to cut the shackles off? <em>Probably when he closed his eyes.</em></p><p>How had he not noticed it? <em>Too busy reliving his past.</em></p><p>“Spike? Spiky? You with me?” Zack gently pats his cheeks, stirring him from his maladaptive state and back into the moment.</p><p>“Ah…” Cloud tests his voice; mic check, but there’s reverb and feedback. So instead he nods faintly, the hands on his cheeks moving with.</p><p>The face of his childhood friend smiles warmly. “Good. You had me worried there－you weren’t responding to anything.”</p><p>He doesn’t know what to say to that, so he keeps quiet.</p><p>“You didn’t even respond when Sebastian started cutting the shackles.” Zack supplies and faintly shakes his head. “I feel like the Shinra family’s done more to you than I could ever imagine.”</p><p>He still doesn’t know what to say, so he keeps quiet.</p><p>“But, we’ll get through this－together.” He nods. His sure face falls a little and a sad sheen enters his eyes. “I may have freed you, but I still have to save you…”</p><p>He doesn’t know what to say, so he keeps quiet.</p><p>The sheen in his best friend’s eyes flames hot. “But I promise with all my heart that I’m <em>going</em> to do just that.”</p><p>Cloud doesn’t know what to say, but this time he leans in and gently butts his forehead into Zack’s and hums.</p><p>The Zack he knows <em>never</em> breaks his promises…</p><p>and this <em>is</em>, the Zack he knows, without a doubt.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Being freed and being saved are two different things - Zack's figuring that out the long way huh? 😅 I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and hopefully I'll have the next one written soon! (I kinda know how to start it!)</p><p>Thanks for reading! Take care and stay safe~ 🌟💗</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Apology</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There's a few things Cloud wants to say 💭</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hellooo everyone! First update of the year is here!! (at least for this story, not counting my others lol!) <br/>And since I'm not really sure what to say other than it's getting late and I'm getting tired - enjoy the chapter! 📚💚</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dusk settles fast over the horizon, the red sun blazing the ocean and making the water sparkle with orange. The ocean glimmers like amber now, but will soon glisten like diamonds when the moon comes out to play.</p><p>Zack watches the sunset on the port side of The Honor’s Keep, the sounds of the ship gliding through the smooth waves relaxing him. </p><p>After seeing his childhood best friend completely disassociate when his carpenter cut his shackles off, he needed to come outside and clear his mind.</p><p>All he could think about were the horrible things the Shinra family might have done or <em>did</em> do to his best friend during his absence. Based on how he reacted to a simple saw, he took a stab and guessed the things that did occur were all very traumatic. And invasive.</p><p>It made him <em>so mad.</em> He gripped the rope hanging down from the crow’s nest tightly in his right hand and grit his teeth. If only he had been there. If only he had never been tossed overboard. If only he had been there. If only the former captain of this vessel tossed him back. If only he had been there…</p><p>Sure, he may have liberated Cloud from the clutches of The God’s Silk, but he didn’t liberate <em>all</em> of him. His old snarky self, his stupid jokes, his crooked smiles, his bright eyes that always seemed to sparkle with thoughts of the future… all of those were left behind, <em>or brutally mutated and unable to currently show.</em></p><p>He releases a heavy sigh and loosens his grip on the rope, focusing on breathing in the salty ocean air deeply.</p><p>He’d love to have Cloud out on the deck and enjoying the view of freedom… but his eyes have barely even adjusted to the dim light in his own quarters. If he can barely handle walking through the ship mid-afternoon down in the hull, there’d be no way he could enjoy a simple sunset right now. Even those would be too bright for him.</p><p>Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to leave him alone in his quarters so soon after cutting his shackles off... but he looked like he needed space. After all, if he was used to being chained up by himself in a tiny room, then too much company might make his emotional state worse.</p><p>But then again he did tell his cabin boy to stay close and keep an eye on him. So it’s not like he wasn’t being supervised at <em>all.</em> Still… he couldn’t help but feel conflicted.</p><p>And just like that he was stressed and upset all over again. Not even the salty air or beautiful sunset could take his mind off of things.</p><p>“Please, don’t strain yourself too much…”</p><p>Zack’s ears pick up on the soft, closely distant sound of his cabin boy speaking from near the door to the berth. That’s odd. Why would he be out here? He told him to－</p><p>He tears his eyes away from the sparkling ocean and whips his head around towards the berth so fast he nearly makes himself dizzy. And there he sees Chadley with his hands up and slightly out, trying to motion his childhood best friend back down into the berth.</p><p>Cloud’s hands are shielding his eyes and he’s hunched over as he walks slowly across the deck as Chadley tries to persuade him to go back inside without touching him or being demanding.</p><p>That definitely spurs Zack into action. He hops down from the port side railing and jogs over to where they are, which is only a few paces out from the open door. His hat bounces on his head as he moves and his boots nearly slam down against the deck.</p><p>“Chadley, what’s going on here?” He asks with a hurried yet surprised tone.</p><p>“Oh, Captain Fair! I’m terribly sorry, but your friend here didn’t want to remain in your quarters. I tried to reason with him, but he just wouldn’t listen, so here we are now.” He explains with a jumpy voice.</p><p>“It’s alright lad, you’re not in trouble.” Zack assures as he pats his shoulder with his right hand. “Cloud, what on <em>Gaia </em>are you doing up here? You <em>know </em>your eyes aren’t adjusted to sunlight yet!” He changes his tone with Cloud to something hurriedly worried as he takes his hat from his head and sets it over his head again, tucking the brim down to help shield the light from his eyes.</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you.” Cloud says with a pained hiss. The light must be hurting him.</p><p>Painfully stubborn, his best friend. <em>At least that was something he carried over to his ship upon liberation.</em></p><p>“You could have just sent Chadley to fetch me.”</p><p>His best friend shakes his head, hat swaying gently with it. “I wanted to move without shackles… I wanted to…” His voice trails off a bit.</p><p>“I see.” Zack softly says. He puts his hands on his shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you back down in the berth. It’s too bright for you out here.”</p><p>“No!” Cloud protests and shakes his head harder. “I wanted to… do what we used to do… when we were children on The God’s Silk…”</p><p>Zack sharply inhales and the memories of all the nights they used to talk with one another on the deck of their old prison flash through his head. All the jokes they made, the secrets they shared, the smiles they gave… It made something stir hard in his gut, but he wasn’t sure if it was something sad or something happy.</p><p>“I wanted…” Cloud speaks with less of a hiss and more of a warble. “…To talk like we used to… before we were separated… when we were both… painfully happy.”</p><p><em>Painfully happy</em>… what a phrase to describe exactly how he felt back then. The feeling in his gut stirs again, but this time he knows what it is: it’s something happily sad and woefully nostalgic. It’s the child inside wanting to know how his best friend’s day went.</p><p>“...I understand.” He breathes after a pause of silence. He glances over to Chadley and fishes out a small smile. “Go ahead and retire to the berth. You’ve earned an early day.”</p><p>“Thank you, Captain.” His cabin boy smiles back. “Will you be alright?”</p><p>“Yes, I’ll be fine.”</p><p>With that, Chadley nods and heads back to the berth, closing the door behind him gently. The door shuts with a quiet clack.</p><p>“As much as I’d like to have <em>you</em> go back to the berth and rest your eyes,” Zack sighs with the same smile still slapped on his face. “I know that would be foolish of me－you wouldn’t listen.”</p><p>From under his hat, he sees a faint grin crack across the corners of his best friend’s mouth. For a brief moment, he sees a flash of his childhood friend burst to life; matted hair and crooked teeth beaming at him for purposely disobeying old orders.</p><p>“All I ask is that you keep the hat on and keep your head tilted down until the sun sets.”</p><p>Cloud nods.</p><p>Zack returns the nod before he grabs his old friend’s hand and leads him back over to the port side where he had been standing before. Once they stand by the rails, he takes the hand still in his and brings it up to the rail, resting it over the smooth wood.</p><p>Cloud’s mouth slightly parts and he raises his other hand to the rail, then eagerly leans over and stares right at the glimmering ocean their ship smoothly cuts through. Zack’s smile grows more sanguine and he curls his gloved hand that still rests over his best friend’s hand a little firmer.</p><p>It almost feels like old times.</p><p>“I’ve… never seen the ocean so colorful…” Cloud breathes as his free hand reaches down as though he could grab the whole sea with it.</p><p>“Beautiful, isn’t it?”</p><p>He nods rapidly.</p><p>“Just think… you’ll be seeing the ocean like this all the time at any time of day. How it looks when the sun rises, in the afternoon, in the evening just like this very moment…”</p><p>A comfortable silence stretches over them. The waves lap against the ship and the wood creaks faithfully.</p><p>“...And it’ll be with you.” Cloud says as he lifts his head up and looks at him.</p><p>And in the sunset’s light, his gleaming blue eyes shine so bright and the luminescent green glow bursting around his narrowed pupils practically radiates. And as much as he wants to stare forever into those azurely angelic eyes he’s missed with all of his heart, he tips his tricorn hat back down and shields them from the light.</p><p>“And it’ll be with me.” He affirms with a trademark crooked grin.</p><p>The waves eat away at the lull in their conversation again, though this time the caw of seagulls echo faintly. That means they aren’t too far away from land now. They might be able to port their ship by tomorrow morning or afternoon at this rate.</p><p>And once they’re on land he’s going to get Cloud cleaned up, get him properly fed, and show him all he’s missed out on these past ten years.</p><p>“Zack…?” His best friend calls with a quiet voice.</p><p>“Yeah?” He responds with the same volume and glances over.</p><p>Cloud leans against the rails as he once did as a child and his eyes are back on the ocean again, their hands finally pulled away. And it feels so much like the last night they were together; when he mentioned his eye wasn’t black anymore… when they made their promise to become pirates… The last night they were, as Cloud said, painfully happy.</p><p>“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry…” He quietly admits over the rush of the ocean and the creak of the ship.</p><p>“Sorry? For what?” He finds himself copying the same position his best friend is in; leaned over the rails with a foot crossed at the ankle.</p><p>“For saying you broke your promise right when you rescued me.” His tone falls a little flat. “I was… in denial I guess. I just didn’t want to believe that… you were actually alive. I didn’t want to believe it took you ten years to come back… didn’t want to believe you when you said you missed me.”</p><p>He isn’t sure how to respond to that, so he lets the ocean eat his silence up.</p><p>“I figured… that if you died, that’s why you didn’t come back for me. I told myself that you died when you were tossed over, that way I wouldn’t be sad when you never came back for me…”</p><p>“You… thought I wouldn’t come back for you?” It hurts to hear that and it makes Zack wince.</p><p>Cloud slowly shakes his head. “You used to be from the land. I thought that once you escaped you’d eagerly jump at the chance to live a normal life again.”</p><p>“But Cloud, you said it yourself; I don’t break my promises. I keep them, no matter how long it takes.” His hand finds his best friend’s again and holds tight.</p><p>He sees a glimpse of his eyes and they look like they’re watering. “I know.” His voice is as watery as his eyes. “It just… made me feel better at the time.” He admits with a sniff. “But now I feel bad for ever thinking that. And that’s why I wanted to apologize to you…”</p><p>“Water under the bridge, Spiky.” Zack easily accepts. “What matters now is that we’re both free, and I can truly keep my promise.”</p><p>Cloud seems to sigh at that. “That’s the thing…” He sniffs again and clears the water from his voice. “I’m free now, but I know the Shinra family will stop at nothing to get me back…”</p><p>Zack frowns at that, but it makes sense. Why else would he be confined in a solitary room down in the orlop behind a door with some type of symbol on it? The symbol meant something, he knew that. But <em>what </em>it meant, that’s what he didn’t know.</p><p>“It has something to do with why you disassociated in my quarters, doesn’t it?”</p><p>Cloud nods his confirmation. “I’m not sure what it is. But there’s something… <em>inside me</em>, that they want. They’ve tried to…” His free hand raises up and places itself on his chest. “…Cut it out of me.”</p><p>The hand holding his best friend’s grips tighter and he has to fight the scowl away that threatens to form on his face.</p><p>“They haven’t been successful, obviously.” Cloud mentions as he tucks his head down and rests his chin against the rail. “It’s why I’m still alive.”</p><p>“...” Zack doesn’t know what to say. But the thought fills him with so much <em>rage.</em> He suppresses the urge to snarl and yell, to curse and seethe. And he tries not to squeeze Cloud’s hand too tight.</p><p>“I just know they’re going to recover from your raid and come after me the moment they can.”</p><p>He wills himself to calm down and focus on what his best friend is saying.</p><p>“They’ll stop at nothing to get me back. I just hope that you’re prepared for that, Hushpuppy.”</p><p>The sound of his nickname gets him to straighten up. “I’m prepared for <em>anything</em> Shinra tries to throw at me.” He glares hard at the ocean turning from amber to sapphire now that the sun has finally set beyond the sea.</p><p>From the side of his eyes, Cloud leans up from the rail and looks at him fully. Now that the sun has set, his eyes adjust better and he doesn’t have to shield them as much.</p><p>“I swear I won’t let them have you.” Zack’s hands clench the rail tightly, the squeak of the leather altering the sound of the vice grip. He glances directly at him and even though he’s gripping the rail, he softens his eyes considerably. “You’re my greatest treasure after all.”</p><p>That makes his best friend’s eyes widen and the water in them returns. But he laughs out a warbled giggle and his face flushes pink. “You’re <em>so </em>lame~” He gently insults.</p><p>He’s missed those insults. He always said them when he managed to thoroughly embarrass him or make him feel cared for. But then Cloud hugs him, wrapping his arms around his middle tightly and he makes a noise of shock as a blush overcomes his own face.</p><p>“And also, thank you, Zack.”</p><p>“Wh-What for?” He nervously clears his throat as he keeps his hands up. For some reason he feels awkward and returning the hug would make him feel even <em>more </em>awkward.</p><p>Cloud glances up at him and his eyes shine like the diamonds the moon casts on the sea. “For saving me and keeping your promise… and feeding me the best meal I’ve ever had in my entire life.”</p><p>Zack smiles wholeheartedly and his teeth shine through the full-blast display. He ends up returning the hug after all. “You’re welcome, my Azure Angel.”</p><p>“Stoooop~ you’re being lame~!”</p><p>And they both laugh fondly under the moonlight.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope it was a good one! I'm doing my best trying to keep a steady pace here while hammering down the plot nails correctly! 😅<br/>Let me know what you thought if you'd like!</p><p>And as always, see you guys in the next chapter! ✌</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The God's Silk's Lesson</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Heidegger shows what happens to those who disobey Shinra ⚓</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone! I am back! Are you guys front? (I'll see myself out for that one XD)<br/>Hope all's been well with you guys~! I've been pretty busy these past couple of months!<br/>I'll spew about that at the end though 😉</p><p>Annnyhow, I'll let you guys enjoy the chapter, and I hope you like it! 📚💚</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“What are you doing you bilge-sucking knave??”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Heidegger's angered, loud voice screeches. He storms his way to the head of the ship where Cloud currently flags down a ship.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zack watches with baited breath and frozen feet. He can’t believe his best friend actually disobeyed and flagged down a ship! Not just any ship</em>
  <em>－</em>
  <em>a pirate ship!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>All hands were on deck as per the once a month inspection went. The weak ones would be fed to the fishes. The defiant ones would be keelhauled across the bottom of the ship. And the back-talkers and interrupters would be given lashes from the cat o’ nine tails and sent to the brig for the rest of the day with no food or water.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But the ones who broke formation, insulted the Quartermaster, and flagged down a pirate ship? They’d be</em>
  <em>－</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ll have you dance with Jack Ketch you bilge rat!!” He growls as he grabs his best friend by the hairs on the back of his neck and throws him down to the ground.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>－</em>
  <em>Hanged.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zack breaks position. “No!!” He screeches as he dashes toward the head of the ship.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fellow hands gasp and some tell him to come back, but he does not. He sprints across the deck and dashes up to the head, only stopping when he sees their Quartermaster strangling his best friend, who writhes against the ground, chipped nails scraping the deck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He leaps into action and throws himself at Heidegger, crashing into his legs and throwing off his balance. They topple over and his best friend is released from the stranglehold, who gasps for air and coughs harshly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zack goes for those big, calloused hands. He takes a finger in his mouth and chomps down as hard as he possibly can, metallic blood blooming inside his mouth almost instantly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Heidegger cries out and with his other hand, grabs him by the back of his neck and rips him off, tossing him away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He soars through the air before colliding with the deck with a wham, bouncing on impact once before sliding against it, up-heaving shavings of wood as his skin erupts into bloody cuts.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He tries to get up but his body only twitches at the fingers. Every part of him burns and stings and his arms and legs bleed freely. He’s got to get up, he’s got to pull his friend to safety, he can’t let him get strangled again, he can’t, he can’t…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He slowly raises his eyes to where Cloud would have been, had he not moved and returned to the head of the ship, flagging down the other vessel again. Then his eyes roll over to the left and through the gap in the starboard side rails he sees the pirate ship bring a spring upon’er, heading in their direction now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You slimy, scurvy-riddled little rats!!” Heidegger screeches as he stands back up, holding his profusely bleeding finger with his other hand.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then a cannonball splashes in the water less than a mile away from their ship, the turbulent waves making the mighty vessel rock wildly. It’s a warning shot. And it means they’re coming to either raid them, save them, or sink them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zack struggles to get up and his body responds in shaky movements, allowing him to get to his hands and knees, but slowly and with a few twitches. He’s got to help his best friend wave the ship down, to let them know they’re prisoners aboard his Hellship and to let them come aboard.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But that doesn’t happen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Quartermaster seizes his best friend again and tears him away from the head of the ship, storming to where he tries to stand up but fails to do so.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The other hands aboard the ship watch in a scared, quiet formation, knowing exactly what would happen if they tried anything reckless like he and his friend had done.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Heidegger releases Cloud from his bloody grip, and he stumbles forward before catching his balance and helping him up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Thanks, Cloud.” He smiles.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“All hands!” Heidegger shouts. “Let this be an example of what happens when you’re stupid enough to disobey the rules!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He turns cold, angry eyes down on the two of them. “You.” He points at him. “Throw him overboard.” He orders as he pivots his finger to point at Cloud.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Never!” Zack growls, spitting on the deck in front of their Quartermaster.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Heidegger’s eyes narrow and he shakes the blood from his hand off. Another cannonball splashes into the ocean, but it’s closer this time, enough to have all hands sway and exclaim faintly. But it seems as though the Quartermaster doesn’t care about the incoming vessel. He still glares down hard at the two of them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You think you’re clever?” He growls. “Flagging down some nameless ship in hopes for liberation?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He doesn’t care about what they did.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Here’s your lesson you mangy curs.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Heidegger grabs Zack by the back of his neck and lifts him up with one hand. And it hurts. It hurts so much. He flails in the grab, trying to claw at the Quartermaster’s arms in hopes he can scratch him hard enough to drop him. But even his chipped nails can’t get through his thick coat.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He’s walked over to the edge of the starboard side and dangled over the edge.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No!!” Cloud cries. “No don’t!! Please!!” He whines with a horrified voice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The distance from the ship and to the hungry waves seems to stretch as he dangles above it and his eyes shrink. He flails harder, trying to swing his body back to the ship so he doesn’t get dropped in. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It’s useless.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“This is what happens when you defy Shinra!!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And Heidegger drops him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>… </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He falls.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He falls and his stomach drops and his whole world spins and air whips around his ears loudly. Up is down. Down is up. Sideways is a circle. His stomach is in his chest. His heart is in his gut. He wants to puke. He’s so dizzy. He keeps spinning. And spinning. And spinning. And</em>
  <em>－</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He hits the water head first and it feels like he just slammed his head on concrete. Black instantly corrodes his vision and his whole body tingles violently. Everything stings and aches and hurts and tingles and he can’t move it hurts everything hurts and he can’t see how far under he is</em>
  <em>－</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His vision crackles and he’s able to see. Everything’s murky, cold, wet. Seawater bubbles around his ears and he’s sinking. He’s sinking further and further into the endless, hungry ocean. He’s going to meet his end in Davy Jones’ Locker.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He has no strength to fight, to swim back up to the surface. He has no strength to try. Besides, he can’t hold his breath much longer anyway.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He’s going to die in this big, cold ocean.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He can’t keep his promise.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘...I’m sorry, Cloud.’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He closes his eyes. What’s the point trying to fight when his body can’t even move?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>This is where it ends for him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>…..</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So he opens his mouth and starts to breathe</em>
  <em>－</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Something wraps around him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His eyes instantly snap open in fear and confusion. Had a shark smelled the cuts on his body? Was the Kraken real and pulling him down? Was he hallucinating??</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But the water pressure pulls against his head and he realizes he’s being dragged up and not down. What’s pulling him back up??</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He breaks the surface of the water and the pressure disappears. He coughs and sputters what seawater did manage to seep in, though it blurs his eyes. He’s swam over to the form of a blurry boat a bit a ways, where he’s pulled up and loaded into.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A weight settles over his chest and remains there for a moment. It’s heavy and Zack wants it off him. So he tries to make a noise to tell it to get off, but just a croak comes out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I got him, he’s alive! Pull us up!” The voice of the one who saved him cries.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shortly after, the boat rises from the sea and into the air like some kind of skycraft. He groans and coughs some more and tries to shift his head, to see what’s happening.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hey, don’t move around too much</em>
  <em>－</em>
  <em>that was a bad fall you had.”</em>
</p><p><em>The voice </em>definitely<em> doesn’t belong to someone from The God’s Silk; it’s much too kind and gentle. If that’s the case… then the pirates his best friend flagged down must be the ones who saved him!</em></p><p>
  <em>“AAAAAHHHHH--!!!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A loud shriek pierces the air and a loud boom echoes nearby. Zack glances over in the opposite direction to see the blurry form of The God’s Silk, but there’s a giant pillar of mint green light erupting from near the head. At least that’s what it looks like</em>
  <em>－</em>
  <em>w</em>
  <em>ith seawater in his eyes it’s hard to tell.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The pillar is so strong it pulls the clouds from the sky down and begins to swirl them, creating a dark thunderstorm within seconds and the waters grow rough and choppy. Then it starts to rain heavily. But it doesn’t bother him much, he’s already soaked to the bone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The rain makes him wince as it splashes into his eyes, but it clears the salt from them and cleanses his sight. But the moment he can see and tries to see what’s causing that light and the storm, he’s lifted out of the little boat and pulled aboard the pirate ship his friend flagged down.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Captain! Captain, he’s alive!” The one who saved him cries out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Heavy steps resound quickly across the deck, and it sounds like they’re coming towards them. He pivots his neck, head lolling to the side to see what’s going on.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A large, burly man hurriedly makes his way toward them. A lavish deep indigo coat fits him snug and he dons a tricorn hat with a purple feather on it. It’s strange. Zack pictured pirates with big poofy beards and fancy mustaches, being slim and lean and swinging through the ship from the masts’ ropes. But this one isn’t. He definitely looks firm and intimidating, but the only facial hair he has is some stubble around his chin and he’s so burly.</em>
  <em> Almost the complete opposite of how he pictured a pirate.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Let me see.” He says with a soft yet powerful voice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The one who saved him hands him off to the Captain, who takes him into his own arms carefully. Then that sharp face is close to his and blue eyes inspect his own.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Captain Hewley, what do we do about this crazy storm?” A nearby matey asks.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Those eyes break away from his for a moment. “Is there any way to get close enough to save some others?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Negative Captain. The sudden wind is causing a whirlpool around The God’s Silk. Getting close isn’t an option.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Captain’s face turns to a grimace, but he rights his eyes. “Then we’ve no choice but to retreat for now.” His voice sounds firm, but it’s heavyhearted as though he doesn’t want to leave. “All hands, get us out of here!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Aye aye!” A chorus of voices shout.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wait. They’re leaving? But… but his best friend is still on board The God’s Silk! No! He can’t leave him behind! He promised they’d escape together! There’s no point of being free if Cloud’s not with him!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zack finds the strength to move, desperately trying to wiggle his way out of the captain’s arms, which pulls those eyes back down to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Careful now, little one. That was quite the drop you had.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“M-My f-friend!” He forces out, voice shaky and hoarse. “H-H-He’s… still… on b-board…!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m sorry. With that strange green light causing this storm, we can’t get close.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nonononono!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zack fights harder, or tries to. He tries to push his way out of the captain’s arms… but he’s much too weak. He’s still achy and tingly from the fall and the shock of hitting the water.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Easy, easy now. Don’t push yourself. You’re lucky to even be alive after being tossed overboard like that.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“M-My… friend…! Promise… we… t-tog-gether!”</em>
</p><p><em>“I’m sorry, we can’t.” The Captain shakes his head solemnly. “If we don’t pull away that storm will take us all out. Then there </em>really <em>won’t be a promise to keep.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“P-Please…” Zack whines. “Send… me back…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If he can't have freedom with his best friend, then he wants nothing more than to be tossed back into the hungry ocean. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Listen to me little one,” The Captain hushes. “We’ll come back for your friend.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That’s the only thing that gets him to stop trying to move and fight. “…R-Really?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He nods. “When you’re truly ready, we’ll come back. After all, if it wasn’t for him we would have never saved you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zack stops struggling and quietly moans as the rain slithers down his face. It’s not long before he loses his strength, soon after losing consciousness.</em>
</p><p>…</p><p>…..</p><p>Zack’s eyes snap open.</p><p>He’s breathing quick and shallow as he stares up at the ceiling. He swallows and slows his breath, soon realizing he had only been dreaming. He runs his hands down his face and sighs heavily, soon after making himself sit up.</p><p>The Honor’s Keep creaks gently against the soft waves and his quarters remain the same as they had been before he tucked himself away for the night.</p><p>“...Zack?” A slightly sleepy voice speaks up.</p><p>He glances over to the left to find Cloud laying in his bed staring up at him.</p><p>After their talk on the deck they had retired shortly after for the night to rest up. Naturally, his best friend wanted to bunk with him, rather than down deeper in the berth with the rest of the crew he wasn’t very acquainted with. And he didn’t mind that all. He missed the nights where he’d sneak up to his friend’s room higher up in The God’s Silk to bunk with him when security was lax.</p><p>“Are you alright?” Cloud asks as he sits up himself. “Sounded like you were having a bad dream.”</p><p>“Oh, you heard that?” Zack looks away, staring at the sheets he’s under instead.</p><p>“I’m a pretty light sleeper.” His best friend supplies. “So it <em>was</em> a bad dream.” He figures out.</p><p>“Probably not as bad as yours might be.” Zack dismisses with the shake of his head, keeping his eyes elsewhere.</p><p>Who was he to talk about bad things and bad dreams with Cloud right next to him? His best friend went through way worse than he <em>ever </em>did. It wouldn’t be fair on him if he told him. He already had enough on his plate, being practically secluded and tortured for ten years.</p><p>“Tell me anyway.” Cloud shakes his head this time.</p><p>“Nah, it’s not that big a deal.”</p><p>His best friend’s brow flattens and he gives him a rather dull look. “Says the guy who was practically crying in his sleep.”</p><p>Zack makes an uncomfortable noise and <em>really</em> looks elsewhere, a bright red blush blooming across his cheeks. But then a hand is placed over his and he knows it’s not his own hand.</p><p>“Just because I’ve been through a lot doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to feel bad, Hushpuppy.”</p><p>He heaves a heavy sigh and rights his head back, eyes gazing at his best friend’s. They glow gently and the flat look is gone, but something soft and understanding shines within. He looks at him just like he would if he was feeling down.</p><p>“...I dreamt about the day we were separated.” He admits softly. “Actually… I dream about it nearly every night. Didn’t know I whined so much in my sleep.” He shakes his head at that and forces out a fake laugh.</p><p>“I dream a lot about that too.” Cloud seconds.</p><p>“You do?”</p><p>A nod. “Usually I dream about the moment you got thrown overboard… how I screamed… how that pillar of light consumed me.”</p><p>Zack’s blue eyes widen. “You mean that was <em>you</em> who screamed?”</p><p>“Y-Yeah…?” Cloud looks confused. “How… did you know that? I thought you were under the water when I did…?”</p><p>He shakes his head. “When I dream about that day, I remember the scream and I remember seeing that light, even though it was blurry because of the seawater in my eyes. But I had no idea that pillar of light was from you.”</p><p>Cloud nods again. “It’s the reason why Shinra kept me. Whatever it is that’s inside me activated for the first time that day, once you got tossed over.”</p><p>“I wonder what it was that could have caused that light?”</p><p>“I wish I knew… but it only happened that one time. It never did again after that.”</p><p>Silence stretches before them and through the night. The waves gently lap against the ship and sway it ever so slightly, like a mother rocking her baby. His best friend squeezes his hand gently and it pulls his eyes directly towards his and they both smile faintly.</p><p>“Well, at least we’re together now.” Zack’s smile grows a little wider.</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud nods and his smile does the same. “Though we have a lot of catching up to do.”</p><p>“We do.” He nods too. “And I can’t wait to catch up and show you what being a pirate is all about!”</p><p>“I’ll hold you to it.” His best friend says as he lets his hand go and lays back down.</p><p>Zack just cracks his grin wider as he lays down too.</p><p>…</p><p>And for once, he has a good dream instead.</p><p>He dreams of showing Cloud the sea up in the crow’s nest, pointing at distant lands while he glances through a telescope holding him close…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really hope you guys liked it, though I fear I might have given you guys more questions than answers! 😆😅<br/>Don't hesitate to let me know what you thought! Your responses really help and motivate me more than you know! 💗</p><p>And to ramble on my business a little, I joined a discord server I ended up being a very frequent member in, became a trial admin, made some cool friends... aaaaaannnnd got myself a girlfriend! 💕 (Whhaaaaa ikr??? Coming from a peep who's never been in a relationship before! 😅) So I've been rather distracted as of late and haven't had a lot of time to write! (Working on that!)</p><p>Anyhow, again I really hope you guys enjoyed and I'll try to have the next chapter out soon!<br/>Until next time!</p><p>💚😊⚓</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope this chapter left you with a sense of wanting more or wanting to know what happens next! I feel a bit iffy about the end of it, but I hope it still suffices! Let me know what you thought if you'd like~! 😊💚</p><p>See you in the next chapter~!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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